


All's Fair

by padamaa (orphan_account)



Category: The Tomorrow People (2013)
Genre: Cara is oblivious, Jealousy, M/M, Sneaky Stephen, Stephen makes John very jealous, Underage - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-15
Updated: 2014-03-17
Packaged: 2017-12-29 12:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 23
Words: 22,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1005305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/padamaa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stephen Jameson didn't expect to fall in love with John Young and John didn't expect to feel the same way. And the two of them could be together if it wasn't for the fact that John is deeply committed to Cara. Stephen doesn't care, if it's one thing that he learned from his father it's that you fight for what you want, no matter what. All's fair in love and War.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The first time that I ever saw John Young, I noticed that he was a woman’s man. Never to be confused with being a man of men. So macho, so bold. 

“It’s not like that. I don’t find him appealing.” I told Astrid as I laid back on my bed. I hadn’t told her about him, which he was like me. 

She hardly believed me so she would think that he was playing into some delusion that I created. Instead I told her that I met him at a coffee shop and we hit it off. 

Astrid reached forward, her slender hand gently grasping mine as she looked me in the eyes. 

“See, I think you’re lying. I know you Stephen. You like this guy. A lot. Just ask him out. What’s the worst that could happen?” Astrid questioned. 

She let my hand go and left out the room. I looked up at the ceiling. Maybe she was right, maybe I do care for him but I couldn’t let him know that. He wouldn’t look at me the  
same way. I don’t think that he’s gay anyway and I didn’t want to over step my boundaries. 

 

………………………

 

“Hey Stephen You got a minute?” I turned to see Cara walking my way. 

“Sure. What can I do for you?” I asked. We started walking again. It was a Saturday and I come over to the lair as I was calling it to work on my skills. 

“Actually it’s John. He won’t admit but he actually wants to spar with you. So when you get a moment…” 

 

I nodded. I got the message. She wanted me to entice him into a spar match. “Sure Cara.” 

“Thanks Stephen.” 

Cara placed a hand on my shoulder before heading off. 

I headed in the opposite direction of Cara. I found John in the spar area, alone. 

“Let’s Spar.” I announce. 

“What?” He asked. 

“I said let’s spar. I want to see where my powers are. And what better way than with you?” 

He gave me a small smile before getting up and into his stance. 

“Let’s go


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While writing the second chapter I changed some things. so the story is kind of taking a different path.

The spar match turned out a lot different than I had expected it to. I thought that maybe I could spar with him, ask him some basic questions and then maybe kiss him. but what I wasn’t expecting was for John to have me on my back, hovering inches from me, his mouth near my ear sending shivers down my body as it began to react to the pressure that was on me. I went to push him off of me but he grabbed my hands, holding them above my head as he leaned down closer to me, his lips moving towards my own. 

The kiss was electric. He let go of my hands and I moved them to his chest. Pushing only slightly until he was a good inch from me, enough to give me some room to sit up. The kiss didn’t break. 

“Let’s take this to my place. My mom is out.” I suggested once we finally did break the kiss. His face was flustered, a very good look on him. 

“Stephen.” It was barely a whisper. He made to kiss me again but the door to the room opened and he jumped back. Cara had entered. She was smiling as she looked at us. 

“What’s going on?” She asked. She was standing next to John. I watched with mild anger as I noticed that her arms had slipped around his waist and he pulled her close. 

They were together. 

My eyes darted to John. He looked guilty, I hid the tears that were fighting to make their way out. Standing up, I held my hands in front to hide the boner that I was sporting not too long ago. 

“Nothing much.” I lied. “John here won.” 

Cara smiled brightly at him before planting a kiss on him. I turned to leave. 

“Wait, Stephen. How about you stay tonight? We’re having a little party.” John said. I didn’t face him. 

“I can’t. Prom’s tonight and I promised my friend that I would dance with her until her feet hurt.” 

I walked out, well more like teleported out. 

Prom night was a total bust, the DJ’s equipment broke, the gym ended flooded when it began to rain and Astrid had gotten sick drinking the punch. So basically by nine, I was home after I dropped Astrid off at home. 

“I thought these things lasted a lot longer than an hour.” 

I jumped at the voice, the very recognizable voice. 

“I can have you arrested for trespassing.” I responded stripping off the tie that Astrid forced me to wear. My shirt was next. 

Warm hands made their way to my bare chest. John was holding me close to him. 

“I should have told you about Cara. But I was too into you. When I first saw you. I fell hard for you.” 

I laced our fingers together. 

“We can’t be together. Not as long as you’re with Cara.” 

“She’s not just going to let me go. I’m the only stable thing in her life.” 

“Well, I might just have to fight for you.”


	3. Chapter 3

Over the course of the next few days I kept my eye on Cara and John kept his eye on me. I would usually do things, if we were training I would train without a shirt on or train with Russell, who was overly touchy when it came to me. He kind of got jealous and would occasionally lose to Cara.   
I had just finished up with Ultra and had headed to the lair to talk with the group about the latest going on when I was roped into sparing with Russell. In a mere matter of seconds Russ had me on my back and he was straddling my waist.   
]  
“Lost your touch?” Russ taunted. I smirked before flipping him over and pinning him to the mat. 

There was a loud cheer coming from the hall. When I turned to look Cara and John were standing there watching us. Cara wore a face of pure satisfaction while John seemed irate. 

“Stephen can I talk to you alone for a moment?” John called. His voice was laced with anger and jealousy. I had to cover my mouth to keep from snickering.

John was silent as he led me to a part that no one seemed to go into. I walked in first and I heard the door lock behind us. 

“What the hell was that?” John snarled as I was pushed against the wall. 

“What was what?” I responded. 

He pressed his lips hard against mine. “Don’t play dumb with me. I saw you out there with Russ. Flirting.” 

I pushed him away. “Now you see how I feel whenever you kiss Cara. Just end this with her and I won’t do this anymore.” 

“I told you. And didn’t you say you were going to fight for me?” He moved closer to me again and kissed me. 

“If I learned anything in high school it’s that all the fighting had to be sneaky.” 

I patted his chest and let out the room. 

 

“There’s a party Friday night. You wanna go?” Astrid asked me. “And maybe you can invite that guy that you like.” 

I choked on the soda that I was drinking. 

“What?” 

She blushed. ‘’The guy. Whatever is name is. You haven’t told me that yet.” 

“Look, Astrid.” 

“Come on Stephen. It’ll be fun.” 

“I’ll see what I can do.”


	4. Chapter 4

I had somehow managed to convince Cara, Russ and John to come topside to party with me and Astrid, Well John came because Russ was going and then there was the possibility of other guys being there. He could be really jealous at times. 

We met Astrid at her place and I had to come up with some excuse as to how I know these random strangers. 

“Astrid. This is Cara, Russ and John.” I gestured between the group of people, Astrid’s eyes landing on Russ and a smile crawling slowly across her face. “Guys, this is Astrid.” 

She shook all of their hands before asking the feared question. 

“How do you all know Stephen?” She asked. 

It was Cara who answered. “We met in group. We have the same therapist.” 

“Oh, Ok.” 

Astrid looped her arm in mine, John’s thoughts were loud and clear that he didn’t like this as we walked down the street to McGee’s place. 

“So who’s party is this?” I asked to break the silence. 

“Uh, you know I would never do anything that didn’t benefit you right?” Astrid stammered. I tried to get into her mind to see what for but it was a jumble inside of there. 

“Astrid.” I spoke in a stern voice. 

“It’s Keegan’s. He’s back in town and wanted to see you again. He wants to apologize.” 

‘Who’s Keegan?” Russ asked. He had fallen in line next to us. 

“Keegan’s my ex-boyfriend. He left me a year ago, said it wasn’t right between us.” 

“And he’s back. He wants to explain himself. He misses you like crazy Stephen.” Astrid added. 

“And how do you know that?” I asked. 

“Because he still has the bracelet you gave him for your one year anniversary.”  

_Let’s skip out on this party._

It was John’s voice, his thoughts sounded angry and jealous. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t. I needed to know why he left me. 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not much, but I will try to have more

There weren’t that many people at Keegan’s for the party. Some of the people I knew and some I didn’t. Half the football team was there and as soon as they caught sight of Cara they began to gravitate towards her. She, on the other hand kept her hand wrapped snuggly in John’s as he watched me. 

_Trust me, I don’t want to hold her but…_

_Don’t worry about it._

Fifteen minutes into the party Russ had found himself a nice cheerleader, Karen, one of the dumbest girls you will ever meet. Astrid was standing off to the side chatting with Shane. That left me alone with Cara and John. 

I played with the drink in my hand. I had been here fifteen minutes and didn’t see Keegan yet. 

_Your thoughts are all over the place._

_I know. I’m just worried about Keegan._

_Forget him Stephen. You have me._

_Do I?_

I walked away from the two of them and headed to the backyard. No one was out there. 

“If it isn’t Stephen Jameson.” 

I stilled. I knew the voice. 

“Keegan.” 


	6. Chapter 6

“Hey there Stephen.” 

The voice sent shivers down my body. It had been awhile since I last seen him, since I last heard his voice.  That night still fresh in my mind. 

_“I can’t do this anymore Stephen. Things aren’t right with us. It’s not you…_

_“It’s not you it’s me? Really? That’s what you’re going with?_

_He stepped closer to me, wrapping me in his arms._

_“It really is me Stephen. Something isn’t right and I don’t want you to get hurt.”_

That was the last time I had seen him, the next day I heard from Astrid that he moved to Italy with his mother. 

I got up slowly, my back was facing him. I didn’t think that I could face him right now. All those thoughts, all those memories that I had kept flooding back to me. 

“Hi Keegan.” I responded. My voice was low and almost hollow. My body began to shake and my mind began to spiral. I know that John was feeling them, I could feel him pushing into my mind. 

A touch to my shoulder sent me into full on panic mode. I turned around quickly, the tears were streaming down my face. 

“Stephen. Goodness, don’t cry.” Keegan pulled me into a bear like hug. I didn’t fight to get out of it. I had told myself that if I ever saw him again I wouldn’t do this, I wouldn’t break down, I wouldn’t be pulled into whatever the hell this was. 

“Why Keegan? Why did you leave? I want the real reason.” I sobbed into his shirt. 

He moved his hands into my hair, gently massaging my scalp. 

“I want to tell you, I really do but I can’t. The reason I left, if you know you won’t look at me the same way. You’ll hate me.” 

I hugged him tighter. Whatever it was that made him leave couldn’t be any worse if I told him that I was human. 

“Stephen?” It was John’s voice. I pushed Keegan back and saw John standing in the door way, Cara by his side. She wore a look of confusion on her face. 

“Is everything ok?” Cara asked. 

“Yeah, everything’s fine. Look if you see Astrid can you tell her I went home? I’m kind of tired.” 

I walked past them, John reached for me through my thoughts but I shook him off. I didn’t want to deal with him right now. 

As soon as I was away from people I teleported home. 

Flopping down on my bed I let the events of tonight flood my mind. Keegan was here, he’s back in town. He’s back in my life. 

“You still love him.” 

I didn’t jump when I heard John’s voice. I didn’t move either. 

“I don’t know. I mean a part of me does but then a part of me doesn’t.” 

The bed dipped next to me. John had laid down beside me. We didn’t talk more about it for the rest of the night. In fact we didn’t talk at all that night. We just laid there in the darkness until we both fell asleep. 

 

 

 

My mom’s voice was awake and alive downstairs, the smell of bacon and eggs flooded the entire house. Saturday’s were always energetic for her.  I turned over to see a sleeping John curled up on the bed. I kissed his forehead to wake him up.  I didn’t want my mom to come up and see him. She knew I was gay but she never knew that I had a boyfriend. I kept Keegan a secret and John being in my bed was one conversation I wasn’t ready to have. 

“Come on Johnny. You gotta go.” I whispered in his ear. 

He mumbled something about five more minutes before turning over and putting the covers over his head. 

In order to get him up I did the only thing I could think of. He had already taken off his shirt last night and that left his body exposed and since he was facing me I straddled his waist. That got his attention mighty quickly. His hands moved to my waist, holding me in place. His eyes never opened. 

_You gotta get up my mom could come any second and I don’t want to explain to her why there’s an incredibly hot guy in my bed._

_Just tell her that I’m a friend._

_A friend that’s half naked in my bed and I’m currently on top of?_

He smiled, his eyes shot open before a kiss was placed on my chest. 

“Fine. But meet me later ok? We need to hone those skills of yours.” 

I smiled to myself. Right, hone my skills. 

 

As soon as John teleported out my mom came into the room, the laundry basket in hand. 

“Any dirty clothes?” She asked. I bent down and picked up what clothes that were on the floor and handed them to my mom. 

“That’s all.” I said. Her eyes scanned my room to make sure that it was everything. Her eyes landed on my bed. A frown crossing her face. I followed the gaze to see what she was looking at. Sitting messily on the bed was a black leather jacket. She knew it wasn’t mine. 

“Stephen?” Her voice was stern but not menacing. 

“It’s mine mom.” I lied. 

She walked towards the bed, lifting the jacket. She inspected it. 

“This isn’t even your size. Look if you had a boy over last night its fine. But you and he didn’t? I mean if you did its ok but were you...” 

I cut her off. I was not about to have the ‘talk’ with my mom. 

“We didn’t mom. He just stayed over and we talked. That’s it. I promise. He didn’t even stay long.” 

My mom placed the jacket in the hamper. “I’ll wash this for him. But if he wants it back then he needs to come and get it. Invite him over for dinner. I want to meet him.” 

With that said she walked out the room and I was stuck with a dinner and a very awkward moment. 


	7. Chapter 7

I met with John later that day. After a conversation that was unavoidable about safe sex and the awkwardness that followed I was released. 

“So my mom found your jacket in my bed this morning. And she thinks that we’re sleeping together.” I explained as John and I spared. He had me pinned to the ground. 

“But aren’t we together?” He asked. I flipped him over. 

“Beside the point. Anyway she wants to meet you tonight.” 

He reversed again and I was flat on my back. His mouth inches from mine. 

“Seriously? Taking me home to meet mother?” He smirked. I rolled my eyes. 

“Either you show up and get your jacket back, which she is holding as collateral or I convince Russ to stand in and be my boyfriend.” 

That earned me a kiss (a harsh one) to the lips. 

“Don’t even think about it.” 

 

We heard the footsteps before the door opened and jumped up. Continuing to ‘Spar’ we pretended that we didn’t hear Cara enter the room. 

“Hey guys. What’s up?” She asked walking over to John and kissing him. That empty feeling I felt in my stomach was still there whenever I saw them together. 

“Nothing.” John responded. I nodded in agreement. 

“Oh, ok. Hey Stephen?” 

I had gotten near the door when Cara called me. 

“Yeah?” 

“What’s Keegan’s last name?” 

I turned to face her. A shock expression on my face. Why would she want to know Keegan’s last name? 

“Why?” I asked. 

“At the party last night. Something struck me about him. I just want to check him out.” 

So I wasn’t the only one that I got a weird vibe from Keegan. 

“Louis, His last name is Louis.” 

I walked out the room, teleporting home. I needed a shower. 

Stripping off my clothes I placed my phone in the carrier to play some music. I picked ‘Still into you’ by Paramore. I stepped into the shower and let the scolding hot water cascade over my body as the words poured into my ears. 

_Bottom of Form_

_Can't count the years on one hand that we've been together I need the other one to hold you. Make you feel, make you feel better. It's not a walk in the park to love each other. But when our fingers interlock, Can't deny, can't deny you're worth it_

_Cause after all this time. I'm still into you_

_I should be over all the butterflies But I’m into you (I'm in to you) And baby even on our worst nights I'm into you (I'm into you) Let them wonder how we got this far Cause I don't really need to wonder at all Yeah after all this time I'm still into you_

**“** Kind of inappropriate don’t you think?” John’s voice came from behind me. I turned in the shower to see a naked John Young. 

“How is this song inappropriate?” I asked as I wrapped my arms around his waist. 

“Oh, I don’t know. Listen to the lyrics. Obviously they are talking about an ex-lover that they still have feelings for and your ex just showed up. And last night you told me that you might still have feelings for him. So I don’t know, to me the song is inappropriate, especially if you claim you love me.” The ending of his sentence was a little harsh than before. He seemed deeply offended and hurt. And I never wanted him to feel that way. 

“Ok, I’m sorry for the song.” I reached out of the shower and turned it off. As soon as I did my lips were attacked. 

“I love you Stephen. So much and I want to break things off with Cara. Trust me I do. And I will. You just have to give me time ok? As appealing as having your ex-boyfriend back in town don’t stray, please don’t. I can’t lose you.” 

I don’t know if it was the water in the shower or what but I thought I saw John crying. 

++++++++++++++++++

To my surprise John showed up an hour early to my house for dinner. My mom was still cooking, Luca was sitting in the living room playing video games and I was pacing when John showed up. 

“You must be John.” My mom beamed. She had flour on her hands and didn’t want to get John dirty so she settled with an arm bump that he returned. 

“Yes Ma’am.” He replied politely. 

_Such the gentleman_

_Shut up_

Since dinner wasn’t for another thirty minutes John settled to playing (and owning) Luca in the video game department. I sat by watching as Luca and John bonded. 

My phone began to ring. I looked at the caller id, it was Cara. 

I excused myself from the room and headed out the door. 

“Hey Cara. What’s up?” 

_It’s about Keegan. I had TIM do a search on him. Stephen you won’t believe what I found out._

The sound in her voice was agitation, mixed with worry, mixed with fear. 

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense.” 

_The reason that he left last year was because, well Stephen this is going to be hard for me to tell you._

“Cara, spit it out.” 

I was beginning to worry. Whatever she had to say, whatever it was about Keegan, I needed to know, I needed to know what had her on edge like this. 

_Keegan is one of us Stephen. He’s a tomorrow people. His powers manifested last year, that’s why he left you. But Stephen there’s more._

I waited. There couldn’t be anything worse than what she had already told me. But now that I thought about it, it all made sense. The way he was acting towards me and his family, the distance he put between himself and everyone around him. 

_He works for_ _Jedikiah._

I nearly dropped the phone. Not only was he one of us, but he also worked for my uncle, how did I not know this? I worked for Jed, I should have known this. 

_One more thing Stephen. He can kill._

I dropped the phone. That was the last straw. Keegan was one of us that could kill. Is that why he was back? To kill us all? Did he know about all the ones here? Did he know about me? 

  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this story goes a little Underage, I guess because we haven't been given ages on some of them, I'm guessing that Stephen is sixteen and I'm not too sure about John, I did a bit of math based off the latest episode and got roughly John might be 29, I could be wrong. If I am please let me know.

“Stephen. Dinner.” My mom called. I hadn’t moved in what I guess was fifteen minutes. I couldn’t move… learning that your ex-boyfriend is just like you is one thing, finding out that he works for your uncle is another but finding out that he has the ability to kill is something on a whole new level. I picked up my phone and headed back inside. Luca and John were sitting at the table, talking and laughing, mom had just finished setting the food on the table. 

I took a seat next to John. 

_You ok?_

_Fine_

_You don’t look fine_

_I’m fine. Just drop it._

And he did. 

“So John. Tell me. How did you and Stephen meet?” My mom asked. 

“We met at school.” John said. 

I rolled my eyes. Of all the things, there is no way that my mom would by that we met at school. John is a lot older than I was. 

“Really? Are you being held back or something? You look kind of old” 

I gawked at my mother. I couldn’t believe she said that. 

“No Ma’am. I’m actually a teacher helper.” John replied with ease. “I help Stephen with his work.” 

“Oh, and how old are you John?” 

“I’m only eighteen.” Another lie that passed his lips with ease. 

“And are you and my son sexually active?” 

Luca spit out his juice. I closed my eyes. This had to be the most awkward dinner ever. 

“I’m gonna go to my room. Mom if it’s ok?” Luca asked. 

She nodded. 

Luca left in a hurry, I wish that I could go with him. 

“No. We haven’t even kissed yet.” His eyes wandered over to mine and I adverted my gaze. 

“Good. Let’s keep those plans on hold until he’s legal shall we?” 

He nodded. 

“Good. Who wants pie?” 

 

 

John returned to my room after mom and Luca went to sleep. 

“That had to be the weirdest thing ever.” John laughed. He sat on the edge of my bed while I laid down, my head in his lap. 

“That’s why I never invited Keegan over. As far as mom knew he was just a guy I knew from school.” 

I smiled at the memories, Keegan would come over to ‘Study’ when in actuality we would make out for hours, only stopping when we heard footsteps. But I guess in Keegan’s case he heard the thoughts first. 

Thinking about that had me wondering if maybe I should tell John, he would find out eventually but it would be better if he heard it from me. 

_Keegan is one of us._

_What?_

_Keegan is a tomorrow people. That’s why he left last year. His powers manifested._

_Stephen…_

_Don’t. Ok. That’s not even the worst part. He works for Jed._

_What?_

_Yeah, an apparently he can kill._

John remained silent. 

“You ok?” I asked. 

“I should be asking you that. I mean your ex-boyfriend is a one of us and he’s a killer.” 

I moved my head out of his lap and sat up. 

“I’ll be fine. It’s just I don’t know if he came back to kill us or what. And I’m a little worried.” 

He kissed me on the cheek. 

“Don’t worry about it. Whatever he’s here for we can handle it. I promise.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I think that I have done four chapters in one day. That's a record for me.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse me for this chapter. I feel as though it's not my best

Monday was no different than the weekend. I went to school, came home, headed to Ultra and then reported what I knew to John, Cara and Russ. The only difference though was the fact that Keegan was back at school and had all of my classes. Astrid thought that it was cute, seeing as she thought that the guy I was supposed to bring Friday didn’t show and she wanted me happy. Even if that meant getting back with Keegan. 

“Give him another chance.” Astrid whispered as we were sitting not five inches from Keegan and his friends in the cafeteria. “Since that guy you were supposed to be with didn’t show.” 

I picked at the food on the plate. The completely inedible food. “He was busy.” 

Astrid rolled her eyes. “Right. What guy is too busy to go out with you?” 

“Drop it Astrid.” 

“Fine, so let’s change the subject then. That guy, not the blonde, the other one. Russ. Is he single?” 

“Seriously Astrid? You like Russ?” I asked. She began to blush. 

“I just think that he’s cute is all.” 

“Which translates to I like him.” I teased. 

“Whatever.” 

The bell rang, Astrid threw out our food while I gathered our back packs. I picked up one of Astrid’s too large text books while trying to balance my phone in my hand and I ended up dropping both of them. 

“Here you go.” Keegan said. He had the book and my phone before I could even bend down to get them. 

“Thanks.” I responded taking the items back from him. I started to walk away, careful to keep my thoughts from him, but I had to be sure. If he knew what I was then he would keep his thoughts shielded. I began to check, hoping. And with luck, he didn’t. 

_If I tell him what I am, he might be open to it. But then he could completely dismiss me and hate me forever. That’s what told me. No human will accept me for me. They will always see a freak._

I stopped in my tracks, I wanted to turn around and tell him that it would be ok but my phone rang. I checked the screen to see that I had a text from Cara. Reading it, I ran out of the cafeteria. 

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ok, I was watching inception while writing this and it took a turn. so excuse me for this.

The moment that I saw the bodies I knew that something was wrong. There had to be something wrong. Cara was nowhere to be seen and neither was John. I searched around the hide out. Going to the several makeshift rooms that were there. More bodies were in the rooms, some of them I couldn’t recognize. 

I called out for TIM, several times actually but I got nothing. The smell of the rotting bodies began to take hold. Which was odd. I had gotten the text not ten minutes, but the bodies seem as though they were here longer. I took out my phone, determined to find some answers. 

The first person I called was Cara, since she texted me she should know what was going on. But there was no answer. I called Russ, nothing. 

“John, something’s wrong.” He was the only one that had picked up. 

He told me to wait at my house. I began to pace as soon as I got there. None of this was adding up, Cara texts me that there’s a problem. I go there and no one was there except for the bodies of many of the residents of the subway. What the hell happened? 

“Stephen?” I looked up and saw John sitting on my bed. I rushed over to him and he wrapped me in his arms. 

“What the hell happened?” I asked as I took a seat on his lap. “They’re dead and Cara and Russ aren’t picking up. What if something really bad happened?” I asked. 

“Cara and Russ are safe, so is Irene. They’re about the only ones that I found.” John said bitterly. He kept his eyes on the ground. 

“Who’s Irene?” I asked. I had never heard of that tomorrow people before. 

“Irene is a genius and she’s the only one of us that can create a serum to reverse the effects of what your uncle is doing to us. Right now she’s working on trying to get TIM working again, and once she does we can find out what happened.” John explained.

“I know what happened. It had to be Keegan. He somehow figured out where we were and he called ultra. It’s the only explanation.” Tears were streaming down my face. 

John kept his arms around me. “Hey, you don’t know that.” 

“Come on John. How else do you explain it? He comes back and suddenly half of our friends are dead? It can’t be a coincidence.” 

“But what if it is? I mean yes, as soon as he comes back into your life and you find out what he is this happens. But come on, things don’t just happen.” 

I couldn’t believe him right now. John was always the voice of reason. He was the one that would be telling me that it was Keegan that was behind this and I would be the one that would be telling him otherwise. 

“He works for Ultra John. Please don’t do this now. I need you to be on point with this. We know it’s Keegan who did this. I know it, you know it. So why in the hell are you being so difficult about this?” 

John took a deep breath. I watched him as he searched for an answer. 

“I don’t know Stephen. I just… none of this is making sense to me right now. You, Cara, Keegan. None of it and I guess this is my way of dealing.” 

“By saying that an ex of mine, who works for Ultra might or might not have killed our friends?” 

John released me and stood up. “Look, I know how it sounds. It sounds like…” 

And then it hit me. I slowly backed up, towards the door. it all clicked now. He was with them when it happened. Only he knew where Cara and Russ were. And he’s defending Keegan. 

“Stephen? Are you alright?” He moved closer to me and I continued to back up. There was no way that this…he couldn’t have. Not John.

 

JOHN: 

I watched as he struggled in the dream world. I don’t know what they did to him or why. I had found him unconscious in his bedroom, I bought him to the substation and according to Tim he had been drugged with something. Irene was looking for a cure to wake him up. 

“Tim. What’s going on in his head? He seems distressed.” I asked. Cara and Russ were nearby, watching. 

“I don’t know John. He seems to be having a nightmare.”

I wanted to be by his side, to hold him but I couldn’t, not with Cara here. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each chapter will be short while Stephen is in the state that he's in and they will differ from John to Stephen.

John Young: 

 

It’s been three days and Stephen was still in a coma. Tim had told us that he was poisoned Friday, at the party. Which I don’t know how. He only had that one drink but I don’t recall him ever taking a sip from it. I stayed by his bedside, Cara and Russ were out searching for Keegan to see if he had anything to do with it. 

“I’m sorry, I am so sorry for this. I shouldn’t have left you alone with him.” The tears began to stream down my face. Whatever was happening to him had something to do with Ultra and Keegan. And I wasn’t about to let them get away with it. 

 


	12. Chapter 12

Stephen: 

I backed away from John. I couldn’t believe that he was the one doing this, that he killed all of our friends. 

“Stay away from me John.” I said. I kept backing away, but realized that what I was backing into was just my chair, the door four feet away. It wouldn’t take me long to reach it, especially if I used my powers. But he wouldn’t stop coming towards me.

“Stephen. Look, whatever is going through your mind, get it out now.” John reached for me and I took that as my chance I ran towards the door. I know it would have been more effective if I used my powers but what were the chances that my mother of brother was standing outside the door. I reached the door but as I tried to turn the knob but it was locked. John reached me and he took a hold of my arm, wrapping me in his arms. 

“Stephen. Everything is fine. Everything is going to be ok.” He whispered in my ear. Of course I didn’t believe him. 

I tried to push him away. “No it isn’t. You killed them, you killed them all.” 

I could hear him laugh. He thought this was funny. He thought that this whole thing was funny. 

“Come on Stephen. Did you really think I was friends with those people? And then when you came along, Cara was just in the way. She’s gone now and we can be happy.” 

He pressed a kiss to my lips before everything went dark. 

 


	13. Chapter 13

John: 

Cara and Russ returned later that night. They hadn’t been able to find Keegan and that irked me. Cara should have been able to sense him or something and yet she didn’t. We needed to find him so he could tell us what he put in that drink so we could save Stephen. He was getting worse by the moment and I was useless. I couldn’t do anything to save him. 

“Come on John. Come to bed. It’s late and there’s nothing you can do for him tonight.” Cara said as she grabbed my arm and was leading me away from his side. I didn’t want to leave him and I wasn’t. The jerking motion that I gave her to get her off of me surprised her. 

There was hurt in her eyes and I felt horrible for causing her that much pain, but it was nothing compared to what I did to Stephen. If I would have just told her the moment it happened none of this would have happened. 

“Cara, we need to talk.” I finally said. This was going to be it. I needed to do this. I needed to do this for all of us. 

 

I lead her somewhere quiet where we wouldn’t be disturbed. 

“John, if this is about Stephen…” I cut her off before she could finish. 

“I’ve been sleeping with him Cara.” I didn’t meet her eyes. I knew what I would see if I did. Hurt, anguish, anger. And I couldn’t deal with that right now. 

“What?” her voice was small. Like a child’s and I could hear small soft sobs. 

“I said that I slept with Stephen. We’ve actually been seeing each other for a while now and I love him Cara. “ 

I needed to get all of this out. It was important to me. 

She was about to respond when there was a knock at the window. It was Russ. 

“Guys. We found Keegan.” 


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remember, everything that happens with Stephen is a dream in his mind. and BTW I made a poster to kind of introduce who I imagine as Keegan.

 

 

_Stephen:_

_Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream_  
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)  
Make him the cutest that I’ve ever seen  
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)  
Give him two lips like roses and clover  
(Bung, bung, bung, bung)  
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over

 _Sandman, I’m so alone_  
don’t have nobody to call my own  
Please turn on your magic beam  
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

  
That was the noise I was greeted to when I came around. Mr. Sandman playing lowly in the background but I could still hear it. I blinked and realized that I wasn’t in my room anymore but I was inside one of the rooms at ultra. And I was tied down to the table. John was standing in the corner, smirking at me. As I looked more around I noticed more people. My uncle Jed was near John and Keegan was in the room as well. All eyes were on me. But neither of them spoke.

“What’s going on?” I asked struggling against the ropes. John walked over the same time as Keegan, but Keegan was the one to grab a hold of my hand, trying to sooth me.

“Don’t touch him.” I heard John say and Keegan only laughed.

“Once this is over you won’t have to worry about him. You can go back to your girlfriend, he’s going to be mine.” Keegan smiled as he placed on a kiss on my forehead. There was a low growl and I felt Keegan’s hands being ripped from mine and replaced with John’s.

“You can’t have him. He’s mine.” John growled. Keegan had gotten up off the ground and was making his way towards me again. He stopped a meter from John, a smile downplaying on his lips.

“Actually Johnny boy, Jedikiah promised me the boy. Since I was the one to bring him in. So you’re out of luck.”

I didn’t know what they were talking about, I didn’t know why my uncle wanted me bought into ultra and I didn’t know why I was strapped to the table. I struggled again as John and Keegan argued over a pointless battle.

“Stop struggling Stephen, it will only make this much worse.” I heard a nurse say. Moments later I was being injected with something, a strange liquid. After that I couldn’t remember anything.

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was long overdo and I added a quote that will help with the rest of how this story is going to go. So when you read that keep it in mind

**_“This life is what you make it. No matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, some go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And baby, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find your soulmate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about.” ―[Marilyn Monroe](http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/82952.Marilyn_Monroe)_ **

****

 

 

John Young: 

 

Tracking Keegan should have been easy. His thoughts were loud and clear that it was almost too easy for Cara to find. But whenever we got near him he just disappeared again and I didn’t have time for this. I needed to get back to Stephen to make sure that he was ok. 

_“Go John. We got this.”_ Cara thought. I nodded and teleported out. 

 

 

By the time I got back to the substation I knew that something was different. The atmosphere seemed different. Ignoring that feeling I headed into the room where Stephen was. He still seemed to be unconscious and I sat next to him, taking his hand into mine. The tears began to fall again and I felt worse. I know I shouldn’t think like this, TIM told me that it wasn’t my fault, I couldn’t have known that he was going to do this. His thoughts were clouded. I should have tried harder.  

“Stephen, I am so sorry this happened to you. I didn’t mean for anything to happen to you. I should have…” 

There was a slight movement of his hand that stopped me from finishing that sentence. I looked up, Stephen was moving, not as much but slightly his hand and eyes. 

“Stephen?” I called for him. He moved his hand again. He remembered my voice. “TIM. What are his vitals?” 

I waited a couple of seconds for the AI to respond. “Normal John. He seems to be waking up.” 

I waited. Watching him closely and then it happened. His eyes fluttered open. I couldn’t contain the smile that was on my face as he did. 

“Stephen. Hey.” I said. He blinked a couple of times before his eyes rested on mine. I let the tears flow freely and the smile stuck to my face. 

“Who are you?” He asked. And that’s when I knew something was wrong. 

 

“It seems as though he lost the last year of his memory.” TIM told me. He had checked over Stephen to see what was wrong. 

“So he doesn’t remember me? Or any of this?” I asked. 

“No John.” 

I walked back into the room. I knew that our love was strong enough to overcome this and I would make sure that I got his memory back. 

“Look, I don’t know where I am or you are but if you want money or something I can call my mom and she’ll try to get the money up. Please let me go.”  There was a bit of fear in his voice but he tried to mask it. 

“I don’t want money Stephen.” 

He relaxed a bit at that but was suddenly tense. “You want to rape me don’t you?” He tried to back up. “My boyfriend’s dad is a cop.” 

I frowned at the word. “Your boyfriend?” 

“Yeah Keegan Monroe. His dad’s a cop and once they realize that I’m missing you and everyone else is going away for a long time.” 

So that’s what this was about. Keegan wanted Stephen again and whatever was in that drink made him lose the last year of his memory. But what I really wanted to know was if it was permanent or not. And I didn’t have a choice. I would have to let him go. He wouldn’t believe me if I told him any of this until it happened to himself. 

I walked out of the room and focused my thoughts on Cara. It didn’t take long for her to respond. 

_What is it John?_

_Do you have Keegan?_

_No. he keeps moving it’s hard to keep up with him._

_Try. Tell him we’re going to give him Stephen._

_John._

_Just do it._

Cara managed to get Keegan to meet with us at a neutral spot. Neither of us would be willing to get caught. He didn’t want to get on Ultra’s sensor no more than we did. I had TIM knock out Stephen so he wouldn’t get too freaked out when I teleported. 

“We’re just going to hand him over like that?” Russ asked as we stood on the opposite side of Keegan. He wore a smirk on his face. He planned all of this and until Irene or TIM figured out a reversal for this there was nothing that we could do. 

“We don’t have a choice Russ. He doesn’t remember us and we can’t keep him against his will.” I carried John over to Keegan. He wasn’t that heavy and I guess when you truly love someone you can do anything. I hesitated for a moment before placing him in Keegan’s arms. 

“Just know that this is only temporary. I will get him back. All of him and I will take you down.” 

“We’ll see about that John.” 

Keegan teleported out. This wasn’t over. 


	16. Chapter 16

**_“I could hardly believe it when I heard the news today I had to come and get it straight from you They said you were leaving, someone swept your heart away From the look upon your face I see it's true_ **

**_So tell me all about it, tell me about the plans you're makin' Then tell me one thing more before I go_ **

**_Tell me, how am I supposed to live without you? Now that I've been lovin' you so long how am I supposed to live without you? And how am I supposed to carry on? When all that I've been livin' for is gone_ **

**_Didn't come here for cryin', didn't come here to break down It's just a dream of mine is comin' to an end How can I blame you when I built my world around? The hope that one day we'd be so much more than friends”_ **

**“** **How Am I supposed To Live without you” by Laura** **Branigan** ****  
  


John young: 

Months had gone by without Stephen. And I couldn’t handle it. Cara tried to cheer me up by taking me out and us doing what we use to do but I couldn’t do it. I love Stephen and this wasn’t good for me. I had sometimes gone out to spy on Stephen. I learned that he wasn’t working for Ultra at the moment and that they had lied to his mother and told her that he fell off the climbing tower in gym class. That he couldn’t remember the last year. Keegan told her that it would best for me to stay away so he wouldn’t get confused. 

“Alright John. That’s it. Get up, I can’t stand seeing you like this.” Cara said as she pulled me to my feet. 

“What am I going to do Cara? The man I love can’t remember me and I can’t get near him to help him remember.” 

“Don’t worry. Irene is working on something that will help him. Until then you need to get out. Do something. There are some breakouts we need to bring in.” 

Cara led me out of the substation. There was a breakout, eighteen years old near Portland. He already had a hang of his powers and we just needed to bring him in before Ultra got him. 

“Look, we just want to help you out.” Cara explained. The breakout, Ryan didn’t seem convinced and kept teleporting everywhere. We eventually caught him and convinced him to come with us. Cara was right. Tracking a breakout did take my mind off of Stephen. That is until we were on the train, Just Cara and I and we were going to get something to eat after dropping Ryan off and Cara thought it would be a good idea to do something human for once. Sitting a few seats behind us was Stephen and Keegan. They seemed too engrossed in what they were saying to notice us. 

“Let’s get out of here.” I whispered to Cara. She had seen them too. 

“We can’t, we have to wait until the next stop.” She turned around. I didn’t but I felt her tense. One of them must have seen her. 

“Stephen saw me.” She whispered. 

The train stopped and we got off. Not caring where. 

“Hey.” I stopped. It was John’s voice.  I turned around and he was coming towards us. I wanted to pull him into my arms and hug him tight. But I couldn’t. He couldn’t remember me and the last time he saw me I had him in the substation. Cara grabbed my arm and pulled me forward, halfway down the street we broke out into a run. Once we were sure we lost them we teleported out. 

 

**_Tell me how am I supposed to live without you? Now that I've been loving you so long How am I supposed to live without you? And how am I supposed to carry on? All that I've been livin' for is gone_ **

**_Without you, after I've been lovin' you so long How am I supposed to live without you? How am I supposed to carry on? When all that I've been livin' for is gone_ **

“I can’t do this Cara. I seriously can’t. We need to get his memories back and quickly.” 

“But how? It’s going to take Irene awhile to figure out the cure because we don’t exactly know what was in his system.” 

“Then we’re going to have to go into Ultra.” 

The look that Cara gave me showed that she didn’t approve. Even though she seems ok with me leaving her for Stephen it’s still not proving anything to me. I know that she hates me, sometimes it’s clear in her eyes and doubt the last thing she wants to do is risk her life for him. but if she wouldn’t do it then I would. I would do anything for him. 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was heavily influenced by 'Light em up' by Fall out boy.

**_Bottom of Form_ **

****

**_“Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa. Oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, whoa._ **

**_B-B-B-Be careful making wishes in the dark, dark can’t be sure when they've hit their mark, mark and besides in the mean, mean time I'm just dreaming of tearing you apart”_ **

****

 

John Young: 

You know you’re desperate when you make a deal with devil. There were stories about how people would make deals with demons. Stupid deals, some for fame and fortune, others for health and wellness. Well I was making a deal with the devil for love. 

Jedikiah wasn’t exactly the devil but he was pretty much close to it. He could reverse whatever effect was on Stephen. He could bring him back to me. I met with Jedikiah at one of the local restaurants.

“Can I get you anything?” The blonde waitress asked. She stayed particularly close to me, pushing against me when she had the chance. 

“Coffee, black.” Jedikiah told her with a demeaning smile. 

“Just water.” I responded. She huffed when I didn’t return the look or the smile she gave me. Once she was gone I turned to Jedikiah about what I really called him here for. 

“Look, the only reason I called you was to make a deal. You’ve been after me or so long and I’m willing to come back to ultra.” 

“And what may I ask bought this on? Actually the question is what do you want in return?” 

“Stephen. I don’t know what the hell your operative did to him but he can’t remember anything. He can’t remember me. Fix whatever it is and bring him back. If you do I’ll come work for you again.” 

The waitress returned with our drinks, a different one this time. She placed the drinks in front of us and asked if there was anything else we needed. Jedikiah waved her off and she left. 

“And why would I do that? I don’t exactly need you anymore John. Keegan’s a killer all on his own.” Jedikiah took a sip of his coffee, eyes watching my every move. 

“You know Keegan isn’t nearly as good as I am. Look, just do this for me. I know you care, you may not show it but I know it. Keegan is reckless. He only cares about himself. He can get your people killed.” 

“And you think that you won’t? That you won’t do it? You’ve been working with the people that’s out to destroy ultra. So how do I know that once you enter the confines you won’t try and destroy it from the inside out?” 

He was right. If given the chance I would. But there was too much at stake right now. I needed to focus on Stephen and getting him safe. 

“You can have me undergo the mind reading. Whatever it takes. As long as you give me Stephen back. My Stephen I’ll do whatever you want.” 

 

 

 

**_I'm in the de-details with the devil So now the world can never get me on my level I just gotta get you out of the cage I'm a young lover's rage Gonna need a spark to ignite_ **

**_My songs know what you did in the dark_ **

“Are you insane?” Cara yelled as soon as I entered the substation. She had heard everything I said to Jedikiah. “Do you know what you’re doing? All for Stephen?” 

“You were the one that bought him in. You said that he could be the savior. I want him back. Not only for me but for all of us.” 

“You’re talking about going into the lion’s den. Once you’re inside of ultra I can’t help you. You’ll be blocked.” 

I walked into my room, packing up everything I owned. 

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” I teleported out of the substation. 

 

Jedikiah was allowing me to stay with him. It was probably just to keep an eye on me. He set me up in a room across from his. I unpacked what I had as I waited for him to come home. He kept his promise. He was reversing the effects of what Keegan did. I smiled to myself. It would be funny to see the look on Keegan’s face when he realizes that he can’t have Stephen anymore. All of it gone, just like that. 

Jedikiah didn’t come home until nearing midnight. He wore a grimace on his face. 

“It wasn’t easy. Keegan’s pissed as hell but I gave him an ultimatum. He took it. Stephen’s just fine.”  

I walked towards the door. I wasn’t allowed to teleport inside the apartment and instead had to go a good distance away to do so. I had my hand on the knob when Jedikiah stopped me. 

“Monday, you can see him Monday.” 

“What? Why?” 

“He’s recovering, He’s going to be out for a while. So Monday you can go see him.” 

Jedikiah made his way to his bedroom. “Oh and your partner, I just thought it would be fun. Is Keegan.” 

He closed the door behind him and left me standing there. I was relieved. Stephen is back to his normal self. But now I was dreading Monday. I was stuck with Keegan. 

 

****_Writers keep writing what they write somewhere another pretty vein just died I've got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see that you're the antidote to everything except for me  
  
_

****

**Stephen Jameson:**

The last thing I remember is the party. I hadn’t been feeling well and went home to sleep it off. That was all that I remembered. But now when I woke up it’s been almost three months since that party. Three months of my memory gone. My mom told me that I had an accident or something along those lines and lost my memory, but I should remember the amnesia right? Wrong. All of that was gone. There were things that I figured out though. One was that Keegan was back in town and while I lost my memory he convinced me that we were still together. And second I found out that John and Cara were no longer together. When I went to see them on Monday I was also told that John wasn’t there. I was expecting to see him, not knowing him for months had me missing him. When I asked where he went I was greeted with a very cold answer from Cara. 

“Why don’t you ask Jedikiah?” 

I didn’t know what she meant until I walked into Ultra Monday afternoon and found John sitting at one of ultra’s desk. I would ask him about that latter but he was more happy to see me. We knew not to hug in front of everyone, office protocol so we went outside for a ‘break’. 

He wrapped me up in his arms. 

“I’ve missed you so much.” He whispered in my ear. “You don’t have any idea.” 

“I missed you too. But why are you working for ultra? Did something happen?” 

John squeezed me tighter against his chest. 

“Don’t worry about it right now ok? All in time.” 

 

****_A constellation of tears on your lashes Burn everything you love, then burn the ashes In the end everything collides My childhood spat back out the monster that you see  
  
_

****

A month later: 

 

Somehow they managed to keep it a fairly good secret. I didn’t know that John’s partner was Keegan, I didn’t even know that Keegan was working for Ultra. But that’s not the secret I was talking about. No, what I was talking about was the real reason that John worked for Ultra. 


	18. Chapter 18

Stephen Jameson:

Watching Keegan and John work together was like watching a train wreck. The two always collided with one another, never agreeing on something. The two would always argue about the latest breakout and ways to approach them. Sometimes they would just argue about me. They didn’t think that I knew, but I did. I wasn’t dumb. I checked with Cara who would give me scowls and hardened looks until she broke down and told me the truth. I was under some sort of medication that made me forget the last year or so. I couldn’t remember loving John, I couldn’t remember my powers. I only remember loving Keegan and he took that and used it against me. Cara told me that for months that she and John had to watch me pine over Keegan and eventually he couldn’t take it anymore. That’s when he made a deal with the devil to get my memories back. My memories for his position at ultra.

I tried and tried to convince my uncle to let him go, that it wasn’t save to keep him here. Who was to know that he wouldn’t turn and use the information that he learned here to bring down ultra. Uncle Jed had already gone over this with John. Great, so that was out. I needed a way to get John out of here. He shouldn’t have to be reduced to this just to protect me.

“Can we go somewhere?” I asked John one morning. We had just left and extended session at ultra. There were more breakouts occurring and no one knew the reason for it. So John, Keegan and I… I guess it was some joke my uncle was playing on me had to work together to find them and bring them in. We managed to get one and that was because he was the only one that didn’t want to go to the sanctuary. We had to hid the other breakouts, the ones that wanted to be saved from Keegan and took them to Cara on the sly.

John looked up, his eyes red from exhaustion. We had teleported to my room. I knew my mom would be out for the rest of the day and he could rest there.

“Right now?” He asked as he yawned.

I smiled. “No. not right now. Later. I was thinking maybe a movie or something.” I said curling up to him on my bed. He wrapped me in his arms.

“And what bought on this? You never wanted to go out before.” John teased.

“That was because I was afraid. Afraid of ultra. But I spent months without you and I couldn’t even remember. I want to make it up to you.”

John smiled and kissed me on the lips. “You know there are other ways that you can.”

I didn’t know what he meant and he casted me a grin. John took my hand and moved it to his lower part. He wasn’t wearing any pants and his bulge was bursting through his briefs.

“I’m not ready to have sex.” I told him pulling my hand away.

“No babe. I know you aren’t and I’m not going down that road until you’re older. I don’t want to go to jail. No, how about a hand job? Since you’re so well rested.”

“Ok.” I agreed. I wouldn’t deny him this. I’ve wanted to know him on this level for a while. The only other person who has was Cara and that made me the tiniest bit jealous at times to know that she has seen him in a way I haven’t.

I reached down and pulled his briefs off. His erection sticking up in the air in all its glory.

“It’s just like as if you were jerking yourself off ok?” John told me and I nodded. I grabbed the base of his cock and that elicited a slight moan from him.

I began to move slowly, I wanted this to last, not just for him but for me as well. I touched the tip of his head, it was swollen and red, leaking with pre-cum. I wiped what bit was there and placed it in my mouth. There was a tangy taste to it and sweet as well. It made me want more. Instead of continuing with my hand I moved my mouth to cover it. The warmness of my mouth met with the coolness of his cock caused him to jerk up, his hard on hitting the back of throat and I nearly gagged. I pulled away to catch my breath, causing alarm John jumped forward to catch me.

“I am so sorry. I didn’t mean…”

I waved him off and pushed him back down, resuming the position that I currently had. John pushed me off again.

“Maybe we should wait until another time.”

I groaned. “No. I’m fine. Seriously.”

I reached for him again and he pulled away.

“I don’t want to hurt you. We can take this slow.’’

John reached for his underwear and put them on, he reached or his jeans as well.

“We’re are you going?”

“Home.”

I got up, reaching for my jacket. “I’ll come too.”

He stopped me.

“You can’t.”

“Why not? It’s the substation.”

“I don’t live at the substation. As part of the deal I made with Jed I have to live with him and I don’t think he will take to lightly to his nephew spending the night with me. So I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He gave me a kiss on the cheek before teleporting out. I sat back down on my bed, trying to hide the hurt that I was feeling. 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've changed up the POV in this chapter. I've been writing in third person lately and it's hard to switch back to first person.

Stephen couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Over the next few weeks John was intentionally ignoring him. Stephen tired on many occasions to engage the older man in conversation but it didn’t happen. John would look his way, turn around and go in the opposite direction. To say it didn’t hurt would be a lie. Stephen couldn’t handle it. John didn’t want to talk to him. And that made Stephen angry. John would speak with everyone else, especially Max. Max Price was a breakout from Los Angeles. John and Keegan bought him and Jed had saw so much potential in the new breakout that he ordered John to begin the boy’s training as soon as possible. Stephen hated it. The boy was pretty, brown eyes, dark hair that he wore in a quiff. Max was constantly trailing behind John, hanging onto his every word, doing whatever John asked of him. It was no secret that Max was into John. Everyone at Ultra saw it, everyone at Ultra supported it. Even his own uncle. Saying that it’s better. That Stephen is only sixteen, Max is eighteen. A better match for John, and this way John won’t end up in jail if John’s true age ever came out.

Keegan, on the other hand had no problem chatting it up with Stephen, whatever it took to not to talk to John.

“Go away Keegan.” Stephen sighed. He was sitting at his desk, watching John chat up the pretty new breakout, Max who was now John’s best friend

 “Aww. Is someone jealousy?” Keegan teased. Stephen rolled his eyes, grabbed his textbook and headed outside to one of the tables. He had a test coming up and he’d rather study than think about the possibility of John leaving him. He took out his headphones and phone and put them in, choosing to ignore the world around him.

 _I got a lot to say to you_  
Yeah, I got a lot to say  
I noticed your eyes are always glued to me  
Keeping them here  
And it makes no sense at all

 _They taped over your mouth_  
Scribbled out the truth with their lies  
You little spies  
They taped over your mouth  
Scribbled out the truth with their lies  
You little spies

 _Crush_  
Crush  
Crush  
Crush, crush

                                                                                                                                                ******************

 

John watched Stephen leave out the building. He wanted to go after him. But lately, with everything that has been happening has him on edge. John’s keeping the secret from Stephen, it’s for the best. “But he needs to know the truth’’ The little voice in John’s head keeps reminding him. Keeping this from him would only make things worse.

                                                                                                *************************

_Rock and roll, baby_  
Don't you know that we're all alone now?  
I need something to sing about  
Rock and roll, hey  
Don't you know, baby, we're all alone now?  
I need something to sing about  
Rock and roll, hey  
Don't you know, baby, we're all alone now?  
Give me something to sing about

 _Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone_  
Just the one, two I was just counting on  
That never happens  
I guess I'm dreaming again  
Let's be more than  
No, oh

__  
  


Stephen felt someone standing behind him. Smiling to himself, he didn’t turn around. Knowing that John liked to play these games with him. So he was wrong the whole time. John wasn’t ignoring him.

“You know my back kind of hurts. Mind rubbing it for me?”

Hands moved to the back of Stephen’s neck, softly massaging them.

“You know. I’m sorry. For whatever I did, I am sorry.”

Stephen moved and took the buds out of his ear.

“Why apologize? You did nothing wrong.”

Stephen froze. Sometimes he hated ultra, he couldn’t hear thoughts inside the building. Moving out of the grasp of the person behind him he stood up.

“What are you doing?” Stephen asked. The person in front of him smiled.

“Come on Stephen. We both know why.”

“Actually, I don’t.”

Max stepped closer to Stephen. “See. I want John. I want to be the only person that he thinks about at night. I want to be his. But that won’t happen as long as you and he are together. Now we can do this the easy way, or the hard way.”

“We’re not going to do this anyway. John is my boyfriend. Not yours and he never will be.”

“Oh, I think he will be. Because you see. You’re ex is around, constantly. And John’s always going to have that reminder that you and Keegan had something special. He was your first love. John will never have that and Keegan being around isn’t helping. You may say that you and he have nothing but history but I know better. He knows you in a way that John never will and eventually that will drive him away. Once it does I will be here.”

 _If you want to play it like a game_  
Well, come on, come on, let's play  
Cause I'd rather waste my life pretending  
Than have to forget you for one whole minute

 _They taped over your mouth_  
Scribbled out the truth with their lies  
You little spies  
They taped over your mouth  
Scribbled out the truth with their lies  
You little spies

 _Crush_  
Crush  
Crush  
Crush, crush

__  
  


                                                                                *********************************8

 

Stephen watched Max walk away. He knew that he didn’t trust that guy and he had every right. All Max was trying to do was to steal John from him and he wasn’t going to let that happen. He wasn’t ever going to let anyone come near him and John again.

                                                                                                *************

 

“I don’t know why you’re ignoring me but…” Stephen was cut off. John was standing at the vending machine, getting a drink. John held up a hand.

“Who says that I am ignoring you?” John asked.

“It’s obvious. You look my way and then don’t say anything. It’s sort of apparent.”

“I haven’t been ignoring you. It’s just. I don’t know how to say this.”

The look in John’s eyes made Stephen twitch.

_This is it. Max was right. He’s going to leave me._

“Wait. Before you say anything. I have something to say.” Stephen knew what he needed to say. He didn’t want John to leave him. He had finally known what true love was and he didn’t want to let it go. He didn’t want to leave John and push him into the arms of Max.

“What is it?”

“Marry me.” 


	20. Chapter 20

“Marry me.” Stephen knew that these words would make John stay. He talked about marriage before in the late nights that they use to spend together but would always change the subject after Stephen showed no interest.

“Stephen. Think about this now. You’re only sixteen. We can’t do this.”

Stephen stepped forward. Reaching for John’s hand. “Who says we can’t? Yeah I know we can’t get married until I’m eighteen but we can be engaged until then. Just say yes. I want to be with you, I want to be your husband.”  

“Where is this coming from? Before you hated the idea of marriage. Said you were too young. But now? Stephen what is this really about?”

Stephen let go of John’s hand. There was no way that he was going to tell him that he was proposing because he was jealous of Max, John would tell him to get over it.

“Is it so bad that I changed my mind? But I understand. You don’t want to marry me.”

Stephen turned around for dramatic effect. Knowing that John hated seeing him hurt like this.

“Stephen. I’m sorry it’s just. You’ve been through so much….We can’t tell anyone yet ok? I don’t want your mom to kill me.”

Stephen smiled. It worked. He turned back around and flung himself into John’s arms.

“I love you so much.”

                                                                                                *****************

 

“You seem distracted.”

For the fifth time Max managed to get John on his back, and not the way that Max wanted him. He was hovering over John, eyes fixated on the older man.

“Oh, sorry. I just have a lot on my mind. We can pick this up later.”

Max nodded. He held out his hand for his mentor to take.

“So since we’re heading out early today you want to get something to eat? Or some drinks?” Max asked. John shook his head.

“Not today. Stephen and I have something to do.” John said as he packed up the mats and everything else in the Ultra training room.

“He can come too…Oh wait. He’s not old enough to drink.” There was sarcasm in his voice as he spoke and John chose to ignore it.  “Seriously. What do you see in him? He’s sixteen John. A child. You deserve better.”

Max was now up close to John. Wrapping his arms around John’s waist. “Come on John.”

The sound of someone clearing their throat alerted the two men and John quickly untangled Max from his waist.

“What would my nephew say if he saw you in this compromising position?” Jed’s asked.

“He wouldn’t say anything because nothing happened. I lost my balance and Max was helping me up. Right Max?”

John turned to Max. He nodded.

“Yeah. Just helping out my mentor. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

Max walked out of the room, nodding goodbye to Jed.

“He’s a nice guy.”

“Yeah. He is. Is there something you want? I’m supposed to meet Stephen.”

“Oh, Yeah. About that. I invited him over for dinner. So after you and he are done with whatever it is you’re doing come straight there. We need to have a talk.”

                                                                                                                ****************

 

“Want to catch a movie tonight?” Keegan asked Stephen. Stephen was putting his books back in his bag, getting ready to go pick out a ring with John. It wouldn’t be the most fancy but it would one to mark their new venture.

“Can’t. I’m spending some time with John and then going to my uncle’s for dinner.”

“Maybe another time?”

“Don’t count on it.”

                                                                                                ***********************

 

 _You and I, we’ve been at it so long_  
I still got the strongest fire  
You and I, we still know how to talk  
Know how to walk that wire

 _Sometimes I feel like The world is against me_  
The sound of your voice, baby  
That's what saves me  
When we're together I feel so invincible.

 _Cause it's us against the world_  
You and me against them all  
If you listen to these words  
Know that we are standing tall  
I don't ever see the day that  
I won't catch you when you fall  
Cause it's us against the world tonight

 

“What song is that?” John asked. The two were listening to the songs on Stephen’s phone as they took the train to the jeweler’s. They decided to do it the normal way, instead of teleporting there.

“It’s called us against the world. By Westlife. Suits us I think.”

 _There’ll be days_  
We’ll be on different sides but  
That doesn’t last too long  
We find ways to get it on track  
And know how to turn back on

 _Sometimes I feel_  
I can’t keep it together  
Then you hold me close  
And you make it better  
When I’m with you  
I can feel so unbreakable

“Huh, a little. I guess.”

“You guess? After all we have been through. Us against the world babe. This song should be our anthem.”

 _We’re not gonna break_  
Cause we both still believe  
We know what we’ve got  
And we’ve got what we need alright  
We’re doing something right...

                                                                                                *******************

 

Lucky for them the guy who owned the jewelry store that John had seen, one of the most expensive ones in the whole city happened to be an old foster brother of John’s and they got the ring for free. The guy told Stephen the story of how John use to provide for him when John’s dad wouldn’t. How he stood up to his dad to make sure that they were safe. He owed John everything and wished them the very best.

                                                                                                                                **********************

 

“Can you believe the luck of that?” Stephen asked. They were walking down the street. Jed’s place was just a few blocks from the store.

“I know. What luck was that? But I’m glad my dad didn’t screw him up enough that he actually did something with his life.”

“You aren’t a screw up John. You’re one of the best people I know. And I love you for the person that you are.” 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the ring i chose for them. http://www.cartier.us/collections/bridal/engagement-rings/tank/n4223200-tank-solitaire


	21. Chapter 21

Stephen had never really been to his uncle’s before and seeing the place for the first time kept him in awe.

“Make yourself at home. Dinner will be ready in ten.” Jed said before heading back into the kitchen. John led Stephen into the bedroom that he occupied while he was staying with him. There wasn’t much in the room, no posters, no photos, except for one of Stephen and him sitting on the bedside table.

“So homey.” Stephen said sarcastically as he laid front down on the bed. John taking a seat next to him.

“I don’t want to get too attached.” John responded.

“Then why did you agree to move in here? It couldn’t be because of what happened with Cara or with me. John, why are you here?”

John didn’t answer, instead he captured Stephen’s lips in a kiss.

“Let’s not talk about that. I just want to hold my fiancé.”

John pulled Stephen on top of him.

“Fiancé. That has a nice ring to it.” Stephen leaned down, burying his face in John’s neck. “I love you so much. Don’t ever leave me.”

“Why would I ever leave you? I love you too much Stephen.”

Stephen pulled back. “I know. But Max…”

“Max is no one. I don’t love him. I can barely stand him. I only put up with him because he’s my trainee. I love you the most. More than I ever loved Cara and nothing or no one can change that.”

                                                                                                                                                *******************

 

Dinner wasn’t the most awkward that Stephen has been too. But it was the weirdest. His uncle kept his eyes focused solely on him, every so often casting a wayward glance in John’s direction.

“So. Where you going to tell me that you and my nephew were getting married?”

Stephen and John dropped their forks. “How did you know?” They asked at the same time.

“I know everything. But the thing is. Are you sure you want to do this? You’re both are so young.”

“Uncle Jed. Please don’t tell my mom.”

“I won’t but I want you two to think about this. Is this something that you really want to do?”

                                                                                                                                ************************8

 

 **** _It's a beautiful night,_  
we’re looking for something dumb to do  
Hey baby  
I think I wanna marry you

 **** _Is it the look in your eyes?_  
Or is it this dancing juice?  
Who cares baby  
I think I wanna marry you

****_Well I know this little chapel on the boulevard we can go  
No one will know  
Oh come on girl_

****_Who cares if we're trashed got a pocket full of cash we can blow  
Shots of patron  
and it's on girl_

****_Don't say no, no, no, no-no_  
Just say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah  
And we'll go, go, go, go-go  
If you're ready, like I'm ready

 **** _Because it's a beautiful night_  
we’re looking for something dumb to do  
Hey baby  
I think I wanna marry you

 **** _Is it the look in your eyes?_  
Or is it this dancing juice?  
Who cares baby  
I think I wanna marry you

****_I'll go get a ring let the choir bells sing like oooh  
so whatcha wanna do?  
Let's just run girl_

****_If we wake up and you wanna break up that's cool  
No, I won't blame you  
it was fun girl_

****_Don't say no, no, no, no-no_  
Just say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah  
And we'll go, go, go, go-go  
If you're ready, like I'm ready

 **** _Cause it's a beautiful night,_  
we’re looking for something dumb to do  
Hey baby  
I think I wanna marry you.

 **** _Is it the look in your eyes?_  
Or is it this dancing juice?  
Who cares baby,   
I think I wanna marry you.

 **** _Just say I do,_  
Tell me right now baby,  
Tell me right now baby, baby  
Just say I do  
Tell me right now baby,  
Tell me right now baby, baby

 **** _Oh it's a beautiful night_  
we’re looking for something dumb to do  
Hey baby  
I think I wanna marry you

 **** _Is it the look in your eyes?_  
Or is it this dancing juice?  
Who cares baby  
I think I wanna marry you

****

_“_ That’s the song you want to be played at our wedding? A Bruno Mars song?” Stephen was a bit skeptical of the song choice so John decided to play it for him. Listening to the words he could understand why he would choose that song but he wanted something slow to dance to.

“It’s a perfectly good song. And would be lovely for us.”

“Yeah. And so would this song.”

Stephen changed the songs on the webpage that they were on listening to songs. ****_  
  
_

****

****__  
Your hand fits in mine  
like it’s made just for me  
but bear this in mind  
it was meant to be  
And I'm joining up the dots  
with the freckles on your cheeks  
and it all makes sense to me

 **** __  
I know you've never loved  
the crinkles by your eyes  
When you smile  
you’ve never loved  
your stomach or your thighs  
the dimples in your back  
at the bottom of your spine  
But I love them endlessly

 **** __  
I won’t let these little things  
Slip out of my mouth  
But if I do  
It's you  
Oh it's you  
They add up to  
I'm in love with you  
And all these little things  
You can't go to bed  
Without a cup of tea  
And maybe that's the reason  
That you talk in your sleep  
And all those conversations  
Are the secrets that I keep  
Though it makes no sense to me

 **** __  
I know you've never loved the sound of your voice on tape  
You never want to know how much you weigh  
You still have to squeeze into your jeans  
But you're perfect to me

 **** __  
I won’t let these little things  
Slip out of my mouth  
but if it's true  
It's you  
It's you  
They add up to  
I'm in love with you  
And all these little things

 **** __  
You'll never love yourself  
Half as much as I love you  
You'll never treat yourself right darling  
But I want you to  
If I let you know  
I'm here for you  
Maybe you'll love yourself like I love you  
Oh...

 **** __  
I've just let these little things  
Slip out of my mouth  
'Cause it's you  
Oh it's you  
It's you  
They add up to  
And I'm in love with you  
And all these little things

 **** __  
I won't let these little things  
Slip out of my mouth  
but if it's true  
it’s you  
it’s you  
they add up to  
I'm in love with you  
and all you’re little thin

  
  
As soon as the song ended John stood up. “There is no way in hell that I am dancing to a one direction song at our wedding.”

“Hey, you were the one that wanted to get all of this out of the way early and pick out wedding songs first. You started with that Bruno Mars song and I ended with One Direction. It would be a better song if we do.”

“No. No freaking way am I dancing to that song.”

“Oh come on. Think about it like this. We have this song and I promise you the most fantastic wedding night of your life.”

John looked at him, eventually giving in. “Fine. But you better make that night memorable.”

                                                                                                                                ************************

 

“What’s that on your finger?” Max asked that following week. He and John were out on Max’s first mission and the boy took no time in saying something about the ring.

“It’s nothing.” John shoved his hand into his pocket but not before Max caught it, holding it up.

“Looks like a wedding ring to me. Are you and that boy getting married?” John could hear the venom in his voice.

“You can’t tell anyone.”

“Oh. So I’m supposed to keep this a secret? What’s the price?”

The area that they were scouring was deserted. Perfect chance for Max. He pushed John into one of the walls and began attacking his mouth. John tried to push him away but Max was persistent. During all of the tugging and pulling Max managed to get John’s pants unbuckled and down around his knees. Max dropped to the ground, pulling out the erection that was forming.

“Don’t say you don’t want this John. I know you do.” Max sneered.

                                                                                                                                **************************

 

“Hey Stephen. I was thinking maybe we could go out tonight. If you and John aren’t busy.” Keegan asked.

“We’re always busy, and what makes you think that I would actually go out with you? Even if it is for drinks. I will never, ever go out with you. We’re not friends so stop acting like we are.”

                                                                                **************************888

 

 **** _Story of my life, searching for the right_  
But it keeps avoiding me  
Sorrow in my soul cause it seems that wrong  
Really loves my company

 **** _He's more than a man and this is more than love_  
the reason that the sky is blue  
but clouds are rolling in because I'm gone again  
and to him I just can't be true

 **** _And I know that he knows I'm unfaithful_  
and it kills him inside  
to know that I am happy with some other guy  
I can see him dying

 **** _I don't wanna do this anymore_  
I don't wanna be the reason why  
Every time I walk out the door  
I see him die a little more inside

 _I don't wanna hurt him anymore_  
I don't wanna take away his life  
I don't wanna be a murderer

 _I feel it in the air as I'm doing my hair_  
Preparing for another day  
A kiss up on my cheek, he's here reluctantly  
As if I'm going to be out late

 _I say I won't be long just hanging with the girls_  
A lie I didn't have to tell  
Because we both know where I'm about to go  
And we know it very well

 _Because I know that he knows I'm unfaithful_  
and it kills him inside  
to know that I am happy with some other guy  
I can see him dying

 _I don't wanna do this anymore_  
I don't wanna be the reason why  
Every time I walk out the door  
I see him die a little more inside

 _I don't wanna hurt him anymore_  
I don't wanna take away his life  
I don't wanna be a murderer

 _Our love, his trust_  
I might as well take a gun  
And put it to his head  
Get it over with  
I don't wanna do this  
Anymore, anymore

  
  
 

John walked into Ultra with shame on his face. He couldn’t believe that he was that weak, that he couldn’t push Max off of him. He loved Stephen, does love him and he let Max do that to him.

_It was harmless. Just a blow job. Stephen will understand. He did make out with Keegan._

_Yeah, but he didn’t have his memory and for all he knew he and you weren’t together._

There were two voices in his head. One, the rational and sensitive and then the evil one. The one telling him that he would need to hide this from him, never to tell him that he allowed Max something like that.

                                                                                                                *****************

 

“Let’s go out tonight.” Stephen and John were lying in John’s bed. His uncle gone for the night.

“Where?” John asked.

“Anywhere. We can go anywhere. How about Seattle?”

John shook his head. “I had a bad experience there. How about we go down to Miami for the weekend. Just you and me. We can do whatever you want.”

“Sounds good.”

                                                                                                                ***************************

 

John knew that this was the coward’s way out. Taking Stephen out of town for the weekend, hoping that this would all blow over in the time that they were gone, that Max would forget about it and never bring it up again. He needed to protect Stephen and if that meant adding another lie onto the one that he was already keeping then he would do it. He would keep this secret, no matter what the cost. **_  
_**


	22. Chapter 22

_Some people say that if you avoid an issue it goes away, keeping the secret is harder than actually telling the truth. Once the secret is out, it ruins the lives of everyone around you, tortures your loved ones and wrecks whatever relationship you have with them._

 

 

The trip to Miami didn’t take long, Stephen and John packed what they had and teleported to a hotel. Stephen wanted to pay for the room instead of stealing a new one every time someone new checked in but John convinced him that this was more fun. Which turned out to be true. Stephen wasn’t one to break the rules but with John he didn’t mind. They spent the better part of the first day lying in bed, nothing more than that and just enjoying each other’s company.

“What should we do first?” Stephen asked. “There’s a concert on the beach starting at noon and I really want to go. Or do you want to do something? What do you like to do? We’ve never discussed that before. I have no clue what your hobbies are.”

John smiled. He liked when Stephen rambled. “Let’s do what you want to do. If you want to go to that concert then we’ll go. It’s all about you okay?”

“Right.” Stephen walked into the bathroom to take a shower. John contemplated joining him but that would only distract from the shower and letting them get to where they want to on time. So he laid in the bed and waited for him. He picked up his phone and began checking the messages on his phone. There were five missed calls from Cara and several text from her as well. All asking him why he up and left when they had ultra to deal with. He ignored them all. Just as he was about to put the phone back on the table there was the familiar ring of his phone. A text message.

_You can’t just up and run after what happened. We have to talk about that_

_Max._

_I can. And if you know what’s good for you you’d never mention this again._ John replied. He waited several seconds before his phone beeped.

 

_Why shouldn’t I? What you let me do was beyond enjoyable. I’m sure Stephen would want to know how to please you in the near future. If your relationship last that long._

_Max._

John quickly erased the message. He didn’t want to deal with him at the moment. Seconds after the message was deleted Stephen stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. He noticed the phone in John’s hand.

“Someone called?” he asked.

“Oh yeah. Cara. Wanted to know when we would be back.”

Stephen accepted that and began to get dressed.  He didn’t know how long he would actually be able to keep this from Stephen. It would be a matter of time before they go home. The questions that would be asked once he did. Cara, Max. All of them.

“Aren’t you changing?” Stephen asked.

“What’s wrong with what I have on?”

“It’s like 100 degrees out there. You’ll burn up in that leather.”

“I like my jacket babe. I want to wear it.”

“Fine. But don’t ask me to help you cool down.”

John stuck out his tongue at Stephen. It was moments like this that he enjoyed. No constant worry, nothing that could harm them.

                                                            **************************

 

The script was playing the boardwalk in Miami. One of Stephen’s bands and secretly John’s as well. The two held hands while walking the beach. Their wedding bands displaying nicely on their fingers. It was the first time that they didn’t have to lie when someone asked them about it. Which several people did, all congratulation them on the nuptials.

“We should have the wedding here.” Stephen said. “It’s nice. Mom would love it. She always wanted to come here.”

“Whatever you want.”

John leaned over and kissed Stephen on the cheek.

John’s phone began to ring. He tried so desperately to ignore it.

“Answer it. Or I will.”

John sighed. Pulled out his phone and began to walk away from Stephen. He already knew it was on the other end.

“What do you want Max?”

_To talk, that’s it. We shared something John, you let me do that to you. Now you’re ignoring me?_

“I love Stephen. What I let you do was a mistake. I don’t care for you at all.”

_You let me blow you five times, I think that says something. And you know while you were enjoying yourself I accessed your thoughts. The things you were thinking about me. How you were thinking that you couldn’t do that with Stephen. He’s so underage, so inexperienced. You liked my mouth John._

John quickly hung up the phone. He knew what he was thinking would come back to haunt him. While it was true. Stephen was inexperienced and a bit young for him to actually do anything despite Stephen’s pleas that it would be okay. It felt nice to be with someone else. Someone who wouldn’t get him arrested.

“Everything alright?” Stephen asked. John nodded.

“Yeah, that was Cara.  You wanna get something to eat?”

                                                                        ***************************

 

After they ate Stephen and John headed back to the hotel. The people that had the room wouldn’t be checking in for hours so they had a few moments alone. John was laying on his back, Stephen on top of him.

“Come on. What’s the harm in us having sex?” Stephen asked. He ground his hips against John’s crotch, eliciting a soft moan.

“You’re sixteen.”

“No one knows we’re here. As far as my mom knows I’m staying with Uncle Jed for the weekend.”

“If we do. Trust me your uncle will want to know. He’ll access our minds.”

“Please John.” Stephen leaned down, trailing kisses along John’s stomach. “It won’t hurt us. Please.”

“Sorry Stephen.”

Stephen huffed and rolled off of John. “Fine.”

“Stephen. Don’t be upset.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“Maybe I am. But why won’t you sleep with me? You haven’t had an issue in the past with me doing things to you. What’s so different now?”

John didn’t answer the question. He honestly didn’t want to tell him.

“I don’t know Stephen.”

                                                            **********************************

 

By the time that the Haggle family was about to arrive John and Stephen teleported to another vacant room in a different hotel. Stephen hadn’t talked to him since the incident and John was on edge. He had never gone this long without talking to Stephen.

“Come on Stephen. Don’t be like this. You know I love you and want to make you happy.”

“Then sleep with me. That will make me happy. More than anything.”

“Trust me. I do but I can’t…Can we just wait until our wedding night? Make it that more special?”

“Fine. But you better make it memorable.”

                                                                        *************************

 

Max was getting frustrated. He knew that John had some sort of feelings for him or he wouldn’t have done what he did.

“Is the little princess upset?” Keegan taunted. Max rolled his eyes. He hated the new code that Ultra enforced that made every tomorrow person have to live on the confines and stay around each other. Max had gotten stuck with Keegan.

“Don’t you have School or something?” Max asked. Keegan rolled his eyes.

 “Jed says I don’t have to go to school, at least not there. Hence why I’m your roommate.”

“Then can you go somewhere else? I want to be alone.”

“Why? Want to cry? John not returning your calls?”

Max’s eyes snapped forward. “What?”

“I know all about you and John. I was there when you and he you know, when he allowed you to service him in public.”

“So what? You going to tell Stephen and think that might get you into his good graces?”

“No. I was going to tell Stephen and that would get him to dump John. But he might hate you and then John.”

“It won’t work. Stephen’s determined to keep John away from me. That’s why they are getting married.”

Keegan stilled. “What?”

“Oh you didn’t know? Yeah, John proposed. Stephen said yes. It’s official.” Max faked a smile. It was the last thing he had wanted to find out. He hated finding out that the man that he was in love with was getting married to someone else. Someone he actually couldn’t stand.

“What interesting news. I’m sure Stephen’s mom would be over the moon to know that her son is getting married.”

 

**_They rightly do inherit heaven's graces_ **

**_And husband nature's riches from expense;_ **

**_They are the lords and owners of their faces,_ **

**_Others but stewards of their excellence._ **

**_The summer's flower is to the summer sweet,_ **

**_Though to itself it only live and die,_ **

 

 

“So you’re just going to tell her about John and Stephen? And you don’t think that it will get back to him that you were the one that told her? That you were the reason that his relationship will go to hell because of this little secret that they tried so hard to hide.” Max thought it over. “Actually it’s a good idea. You ruin the relationship and I get John all to myself. Perfect plan.”

                                                                                    *******************

 

 

**_Stephen knew something was wrong the moment he entered the home that he shared with John. His husband of three years. John wasn’t there. That was the strange thing. Usually He’s there waiting for Stephen after he have spent the usual Friday with Luca helping people in need. But tonight he was nowhere to be seen. Yet a note was left on the nightstand._ **

**_Gone out to the pub with Russ Be back later_ **

****

**_Stephen tossed the note in the trash and proceeded to the kitchen.  He fixed himself just a light dinner. If John was out drinking then he surely would not be back till morning._ **

**_Sometimes this worried Stephen. John would be out for hours at a time, never checking in to let him know that he was ok. He would just stumble in at five in the morning and decide to have sex with Stephen._ **

**_But not tonight. Tonight he was going to deny him what he wanted. He would spend hours at a time and leave Stephen feeling neglected then he would let him feel the same. Stephen placed the dishes in the sink and walked to the bedroom. Like always John’s belongings were strewn across the floor, whereas Stephen’s things were sitting neatly in the places they belonged. Stephen began to pick up the clothes and placing them in the hamper. Sometimes he wished he hadn’t. When Stephen picked up his jeans there was something he didn’t expect to see. Sticking out of the pocket was a photo of a scantily clad young man. Stephen turned the photo over and there were words written on the photo._ **

**_This photo is for you. For I am always thinking of you. I can’t wait to see you again John, My love._ **

**_Max._ **

**_Stephen dropped the photo on the floor, tears began to pool in his eyes. He had known that Max had a thing for John but Stephen never thought much of it because John had chosen Stephen over him. Yet the proof was here. In this photo of his infidelity_ **

**_Stephen rushed out of the house. He had refused to let the tears flow freely. The only place he could go without really having to tell the story was his best mate Keegan. He was the only one who didn’t really care for John but didn’t pry into my life. That’s one reason that John didn’t like him, the other was because Keegan was an old boyfriend and still had feelings for Stephen._ **

**_Stephen gently knocked on the door of Keegan’s loft. It was only nine at night, he shouldn’t be asleep yet. Five minutes passed by, Stephen was getting ready to walk away when Keegan’s roommate opened the door._ **

**_“Stephen. What are you doing here?” Lance asked. His brow furrowed as he looked at Stephen. Making sure that it was him and not someone wearing his face._ **

**_“I should be asking you that Lance. John left me a note saying that you and he were going out for drinks.” Which as it clicked now. He was had lied to him. He lied to him in that note._ **

**_“No, John told me that he was spending the evening with you. That’s why we didn’t go out tonight.” Lance said confused._ **

**_He was with Max. That was the place he could be if he lied to both Lance and Stephen._ **

**_“Is Keegan here? I need to see him.”_ **

**_Lance stepped aside and let Stephen in. Stephen followed the smell of Lobster Bisque to the kitchen. Keegan always had to prepare fancy meals for no one in particular._ **

**_He heard Stephen before he saw him and it wasn’t the telepathy._ **

**_“Stephen. What brings you here at this time of night?” Keegan asked as he focused on the food before him. Always showing off when he cooked, He was placing delicate flowers around the plates and decorating the dishes._ **

**_“I just need a friend right now.” The tears reappeared in Stephen’s eyes and he wiped them away before he looked up._ **

**_“What did that prat do now?” Keegan looked away from his art work as he liked to call it and stared at him. He was always the one that could sense things, John couldn’t do that. He moved from the counter and hugged him. “Oh Stephen.”_ **

**_*********************88_ **

****

**_There was banging. Really loud banging. Stephen had to be dreaming. His dream involved John. He was the King of Camelot. Stephen was the prince from a warring nation and they were star crossed lovers. They couldn’t be together .And just when John was about to marry the woman chosen for him Stephen interrupted the wedding. It was a nice dream but the banging continued and he don’t remember banging in his dream._ **

****

**_Stephen’s eyes shot open as he heard John’s voice calling his name. Stephen got up quickly, looking around he noticed he was in Keegan’s room. Keegan was sleeping on the floor. Stephen didn’t remember coming to his room last night._ **

**_He shook it off and headed towards the door before John burst through it._ **

**_He threw open the door in haste as he was becoming inpatient. John looked disheveled. His hair was in all directions, his eyes were blood shot, and his clothes were furrowed._ **

**_“John, Be quiet. Lance and Keegan are sleeping still.” Stephen whispered while pulling him inside. He led John to the kitchen and sat him down in one of the chairs._ **

**_“You weren’t there when I came home.” Stoic, that was what his voice was sounding right about now. He had no emotion on his face either._ **

**_“I was lonely.” He lied._ **

**_He snorted. “You get lonely and come to your ex-boyfriends?”_ **

**_“Yes John. I came to Keegan’s. Not because he is an ex but because he is one of my best friends.”_ **

**_He wanted to tell him what he knew. That he knew the truth. He wasn’t out drinking with Lance last night. He was in fact drinking but with Max._ **

**_“I don’t like it Stephen. I prefer you to hang out with one of our other friends. Preferably the straight ones. I am uncomfortable with you being around the ones like us.”_ **

**_“Why John? Afraid that they will see what you have and decide to take me away from you? It would be the best for me seeing as though you are never around anymore. If maybe I had someone who was actually there for the relationship I wouldn’t need to seek out the friendship of my best friend that you hate so much.” Stephen’s sudden outburst awoken Keegan and Lance._ **

**_“What’s going on out here?” Keegan asked. His voice was laced with sleep as he rubbed his eyes._ **

**_Lance’s eyes widened when he saw John. Keegan’s merely turned to anger._ **

**_“What are you doing here?” Keegan spat. His facial features which were usually bright and cheery were turned fierce and angry._ **

**_“I’m here for my husband. Not that it’s any of your business.” John grabbed Stephen’s hand and began to drag him towards the door. Keegan jumped in the middle and stopped him._ **

**_“He’s not going anywhere with you. You’ve cheated on him for the last time. I don’t see how he’s put up with this for so long. For the longest I have told him that you are no good. And he refuses to see it. But not anymore. He’s going to leave you.”_ **

**_John rolled his eyes and reached for his husband, knocking Keegan out of the way._ **

**_“Let’s go Stephen. Now.”_ **

Stephen awoke up screaming. John holding on to him.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” John asked.

“I just had the weirdest dream.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Yeah. Um we were married. But things were bad between us. You were cheating on me with Max and Keegan was suddenly my best friend. It was so realistic. I mean I even dreamt of Keegan having a roommate, the type of food that Keegan liked to cook for me.”

“Keegan cooked for you?” John asked. He didn’t know that. Stephen’s never mentioned it before. In fact he’s never asked John to cook for him and the one time that he tried to cook for him Stephen told him that it was okay, that he didn’t have to do it.

Stephen nodded. “Yeah. But that’s not important. What I want to know is why I would dream about Keegan. It’s weird.”

John began to rub the back of Stephen’s back to sooth him back into sleep.

“It was just a dream Stephen. Go back to sleep.”

“Right. “Stephen began to smile. “I mean you wouldn’t cheat on me with Max. Right?”

John tensed. Why would he dream about him cheating on him with Max?

“I would never cheat on you with Max. I promise you that.”

Stephen smiled before laying back into John’s arms. John held him close. Hoping that Stephen wouldn’t think too much into this dream and forget about the whole thing in the morning.

 

                                                            *****************************

 

Stephen’s phone kept ringing the following day. Most of them were from Astrid asking him if he and John were doing the deed, another was from Keegan. He ignored those. And the rest from his mother. She began leaving threatening voicemails telling him that if he didn’t answer the phone then she was going to call the Miami-Dade police department and report him missing.  Eventually he decided to just answer it. Just to get her off his back. He stood up and walked to the window. The movement of the ocean always calmed him down and knowing his mother, he was going to need it.

“Mom. Hi.” Stephen said with lethargy in his voice. He wasn’t really up to talking to her right about now.

The moment she spoke there was hostility in her voice. “ _Don’t hi mom me. You get home this instant. Jedikiah won’t let me see you for some reason. Get home. NOW!”_

The way that she was yelling had Stephen worried. 

“Mom. Is everything okay?”

_“ **IS** everything ok? You tell me. What is this I hear about you getting engaged?” _

Stephen wanted to hang up on his mother in that moment. He didn’t know how she found out and he silently cursed who ever said something to her.

“Mom.” Stephen used the voice that used to get him whatever he wanted when he was younger.

 _“No Stephen. You and John”_ There was a chuckle on the other end. “ _John is another story._ Then the chuckle was gone and replaced with anger. “ _Why didn’t you tell me he was twenty-Five? Has he forced you into this relationship with him? If he is we can file charges. We can get him branded as a sex offender so that he doesn’t do this to anyone else.”_

The last part of her sentence made Stephen angry. John was not a sex offender. He wouldn’t do anything to Stephen that he didn’t want. If anything Stephen coerced john into this relationship.

“No mom. He didn’t force me into anything. I pursued him. We can talk about this when I get home.”

Stephen hung up the phone before she could say anything else.

Stephen looked at John as he heard him coming out of the bathroom. John caught the grief-stricken looked on Stephen’s face. “Everything okay?”

Stephen sighed. He ran a hand through his hair. “My mom knows.” Stephen walked back to the bed and took a seat on the edge. The whole situation was amusing to Stephen, he didn’t know how any of this came about and at the moment all he wanted to do was strangle the person that told his mother what happened. So he couldn’t do anything but laugh. “She knows about the engagement and she knows about you being a lot older than you told her. She talked about pressing charges John. She wants me home so we talk about this. She wants you there too. I can’t do this John. What if she has the cops there waiting when we return? What If you go to jail? I can’t lose you.”

John pulled Stephen into a hug. “You will not lose me. Trust me. No matter what your mom does I don’t think that Jed will not let anything happen to his best agent.” He kissed the top of his head. “Get dressed. I’ll pack our stuff.”

Stephen sighed and got off the bed. He hoped that John was right. He wanted all of this to go well for him. He couldn’t lose John. Not after all he went through to get him. And then forgetting that he loved him but then found his way back to him. His mother wasn’t going to take him away from him. He wouldn’t let her.

 

                                                                                    *********************

Stephen hated this, hated whoever did this. His mom kept on yelling. Neither boys could get a word in. John was sitting next to Stephen, listening to everything that she was saying but not really listening to it. Jedikiah had shown up as well, trying to calm her down. Jedikiah knew that something like this was going to happen. He just didn’t think that it would happen so quickly.

“And you.” she pointed a finger in John’s face.” You took advantage of my son.”

John went to open his mouth, to tell her that he had nothing to do with that but couldn’t find the words. No matter what he said she would see it as manipulation. And it was best that he kept quiet. He didn’t want to give her ammo to use against him in case she actually did press charges.

“Mom. He didn’t take advantage. I wanted him.” Stephen explained.

“You’re sixteen. You don’t know what you want.” She whispered.  “I want you…” She pointed towards John. “Away from my son. You’re lucky I won’t press charges.”

“Let’s go John.” Jed said. “ _It’ll be best if you and Stephen stay away from each other outside of Ultra.”_

John stood up, not bothering to say goodbye to Stephen. He didn’t want to make things worse for his boyfriend.

Once they left Stephen headed to his room.

“I’m not done with you. Get back here.”

Stephen turned around. “Yes?”

“What were you thinking? You thought I wouldn’t find out about this?”

“How did you find out anyway?”

“Keegan told me. Now that was a nice young man. Why did you and he break up again?”

Stephen didn’t answer. He know knew who to blame for this. Keegan. But how did Keegan know? The only person that knew anything was Jed and he promised to tell anyway. They’ve been hiding it deep in their minds so no one could access it either.

                                                            **************************

 

 

 

Going into to Ultra was hell that day. Apparently Stephen’s mom had found out about John working there and forced Jed to keep him away from Stephen. As to not upset her he followed the rules. Whenever Stephen or John got near each other they were forced apart. And Stephen was forced to watch Max cozy up to him.

“See. Didn’t I tell you that this would happen?” Max sneered. He was talking with John and Stephen just happened to be near.

“I know what you said Max.” John replied.

“Now see…” There was a short pause. Followed by a kissing noise. Thinking the worse Stephen turned the corner where he was and his heart nearly stopped. Max was pressed against John, his lips inches from John’s neck.

“Get away from him.” Stephen yelled. Max only smiled.

“Actually I should be telling you that. See we all know about how you mother forbade him to be near you. That is a premise for a breakup. I’m just staking claim now before anyone else gets to him.”

Max reached for John’s pants. Stephen stopped him.

“Hands off. I mean it.”

Max rolled his eyes and rushed off. John was actually relieved. He thought for a moment that Max was going to tell him what happened a while back. Stephen began to wipe away Max’s germs from John’s neck.

“I can’t do this John. I can’t sit by and watch him make a pass at you because of this. We have to do something.”

“What can we do? You’re not eighteen yet. Our hands are tied until you turn.”

“There’s something. I’ve been looking into it since I proposed. If I do this we can get married quicker and I won’t have to be under my mom anymore.”

“Stephen. Think about this.”

“I have thought about this. I can always stay at the substation or move in with you and Uncle Jed. We can do this. I want to get emancipated John. Just tell me that you’ll support me?”

John sighed. This would be good for them to do. There would be no rules keeping them apart. But he would give up his family and for what? Him? John wasn’t worth it. Yet, Stephen wouldn’t give up. He would convince John until he said yes, that this was a good idea for the both of them.

“Okay. Okay. Go for it. I’ll be here every step of the way.”

“That’s fantastic. I’ve already talked with a lawyer who is willing to help us out for no charge. He was a friend of my dad’s. Actually he’s one of us and offered to help. All we have to do is go down to the court house, file for emancipation and soon I’ll be free of my mother. We can get married as soon as it’s done and we can find a place. You can move out of Jed’s place.”

“Actually I can’t. I told you. Jedikiah told me that I have to stay with him.”

Stephen frowned, he crossed his hands over his chest.

“I don’t get it. Why? Why do you have to stay with him? Is he holding something over you?”

John shook his head. Another list of lies he’s keeping from Stephen. None of this will end well for them once it gets out. Stephen will hate him, probably never talk to him again and he would be miserable. Just a small price to pay to keep him from finding out the truth about what Keegan did to them a while back.

****_When the last straw is broken  
  
_

****_When the last door is closing  
  
_

****_I am not that dumb to stick around, stick around  
  
_

**_I am not got the time for looking_** back **** _  
  
_

****_You went and let yourself slip through the cracks  
  
_

****_And you just keep going down, down, down_  
  
I'm going to stay undercover   
  


****_Lay low need some time  
  
_

****_No one to save, to save  
  
_

****_This sick cycle's over babe_  
  
think you made your greatest mistake   
  


****_I'm not going to call this a break  
  
_

****_Think you really blew it this time  
  
_

****_Think you could walk on such a thin line  
  
_

****_Won't be taking your midnight calls  
  
_

****_Ignore the rocks you throw at my wall  
  
_

****_I see it written in your face  
  
_

****_You know you made it  
  
_

****_Your greatest mistake  
  
_

                                                           

                                                                                    *********************************8

 

Stephen noticed the little things about John. Lately as they were meeting with the lawyer about the emancipation he noticed that John was becoming more distant towards him. When they spoke he would only mumble a simple yes or no. they wouldn’t even just lay in bed and cuddle anymore. Instead John would dismiss him, send him home early. Stephen wanted to question this, to find out what he did wrong for John to behave this way, but he didn’t want to offend John and cause him to leave him.

“So I talked to my uncle. He’s willing to give us his apartment, rent free.” Stephen said. John grunted. “So this means we can live together. You won’t be under my uncle anymore.”

Another grunt. This time Stephen got angry.

“What is your problem?” Stephen asked.

“Nothing. I’m just tired okay.”

“Tired? You’ve been this way for the last week. What is going on? Do you not want to be with me anymore because of my mom?”

“No. it’s nothing like that. It’s just…Work. Work has been hectic lately and I just need a break from it all.”

John pulled Stephen into his arms.

“Is that all it is?”

John nodded.

In truth the weight of all these secrets, mounted with Stephen being emancipated and losing his family was taking its toll on John. At first he just signed up to stop Ultra. When did he lose control of everything so quickly?

                                                                                    ************************

 

“I see you and that boy are still together.” Max said to John early Monday morning. John and Stephen had spent the entire night moving all of his things into Jed’s place. The emancipation went through a lot sooner than either of them expected. Whether it was by some work of a higher power or because his uncle paid for it to go through as fast as it did, but whatever the reason was he was grateful. John was as well.

“That boy is my fiancé and I love him.” John replied.

“But will he love you when he finds out what you let me do? What you’re going to let me do now.”

The room where they were was empty, all of the other agents were out in the field or training for an upcoming mission. John had to stay behind to clear some paperwork and Stephen was at School.

Max reached for John’s pants, slipping one hand inside he grabbed for John’s member. John didn’t try to stop him this time.

“I knew you wanted this. But I think we should go a little further this time. Don’t you think?”

                                                                        *************************

 

Keegan could hear the moans coming from John’s office. He knew it wasn’t Stephen and John. Stephen was still in class. He had gone there to reenroll. He missed spending the days with him and decided to go back, despite what Jed said.

Peeking through the crevice he managed to get a glimpse of what was going on. John and Max. Doing the deed.

He slowly closed the door, making sure that they didn’t hear him. “Oh, Stephen is going to love this.”

                                                                        ***************************

“What are you doing here?” Stephen was sitting on the bleachers with Astrid. It was their lunch time and instead of going home Stephen decided to sit and talk with his friend. It had been so long since he had. Stephen was in the middle of telling Astrid the big news about him and John when Keegan showed up.  

“I need to talk to you Stephen. It’s imperative that I do.”

“Why don’t you just go away?” Astrid added. She was eyeing Keegan. Still not trusting him after what he had done to Stephen, in the past at least.

“How about you shut up and go away? This is between Stephen and I. what I have to say involves his boyfriend. I think it’s very important that he listens to what I have to say.”

Stephen gave Astrid a nod and the girl left. Keegan took her spot.

“Say what you have to say.”

“Actually I think that it would be best if you saw. You can do that right? See what I’ve seen?”

“I can. What does this have to do with John?”

“Just watch and tell me.” Keegan said.

Keegan held out his hand for Stephen to take. He took it with a bit of apprehension. He didn’t want to touch Keegan. But he needed to figure out what was going on with Max and John.

Keegan’s mind went straight to the memory, making sure to keep every detail the way that he had seen it. He didn’t want for Stephen to hate him anymore than he already did and this would be the first step for him to get close to the man again.

                                                                        *******************

What Stephen saw first was Max making his way to John, leading him on and seducing him. The conversation that had, what Max had done before. The blow job that occurred. Stephen didn’t mind that, it was something so simple, so impersonal that he would let it slide. The thing that occurred next made Stephen die a little inside. Max reached for John’s pants, he slipped a hand inside and after that they did the unthinkable. He slept with him.

 

The initial shock set in. he thought that maybe Keegan was lying, making it up. But he couldn’t have. It was impossible for a tomorrow person to lie about their memories.

“Why would he do this to me?” Stephen asked.

“I don’t know Stephen. You deserve better than this.”

Keegan placed a hand on Stephen’s shoulder. He didn’t bother to shake it off.

“So what are you going to do?”

“What do you mean?”

“You can’t stay with him after this. It’s obvious that he doesn’t love you if he continues to sleep around. You should dump him.”

This time Stephen shook off the hand that was still resting on his shoulder.

“I’m not leaving him. I don’t care if Max is doing all of this. I will make him stop it. John is mine. And he always will be.                                                                                    

 

****************************

 

He wasn’t going to let Max get away with this. Stephen knew that Max planned this. Thinking that if he slept with John then that would cause him to leave John and then John would be free for Max to take. But this wasn’t going to happen. Stephen wasn’t going to let Max take John from him. Even though he was hurting.

John walked through the door of their new home. The weight of what happened earlier weighing on his mind. He wouldn’t lie about this. Not this time. The first time he could, that meant nothing to him. But this, this was something else and he couldn’t let it stay a secret.

“Stephen. We have to have a talk.”

“I already know.”

John scrunched up his face. “How did you...”

“Keegan showed me. I saw you and Max.”

John stepped forward, reaching for Stephen, he took a step back.

“I am so sorry. I knew…I knew what I was doing and I still allowed it to happen. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“It’s okay, honestly it is. Max planned this. He’s been trying to take you away from me since you found him. But I won’t let that happen. You’re mine. He’s not going to get away with this.”

                                                                                                            *******************

 

“I haven’t seen your friend Russ in a while. Where is he?” Astrid asked. She had come over after Stephen called her. They talked and Stephen told her about the wedding, John and he moving in together and the emancipation. He even told her about Max and what he was doing to his relationship with John.

“Do you want me to call him? He’s been asking about you as well.”

“Ooh! You should make a party of it. We can a house warming party and Russ can come.”

“I’ll think about it. I have to ask John.”

                                                                                                *******************

Turns out John liked the idea. He actually had some business to talk over with Cara and he hasn’t had the time to get out there and see her.

The party was being held that Friday night, only Russ, Cara and Astrid, along with a new breakout that Cara had caught, a girl by the name of Naomi whom she had fallen in love with was coming over. Astrid helped set up and decorate the place. By nine the party was in full swing, or at least how well one could go with only a handful of people.

“What’s with Ultra? It seems as though we haven’t been going after them in a long time.” Cara and John had gone into the bedroom to talk.

“I know. I’m sorry. Things have come up.”

“Things? Oh you mean how you and Stephen suddenly decided to move in together? Or how you have this thing going with Jed? Oh, wait I know what it is. The fact that you and Stephen are getting married?”

“Cara. Don’t okay.”

                                                            ******************************************

 

“So Russ. I haven’t seen you around lately. Where have you been?”

Russ was standing near Astrid. A small smile on his face. He won’t admit it to anyone but he actually missed the human girl.

“I’ve been busy. You know a lot of things to do. But what have you been up to? No boyfriend’s I assume.”

Astrid blushed. “Nope. None.”

                                                                        ******************************

 

Stephen had stepped out because he needed room to breathe. Everything was fine. He would keep up the pretense that it was. Inside he was screaming. Seeing all of his friends and them congratulating him on how perfect their relationship was he wanted to tell them the truth. The truth that he didn’t know what to do anymore. He still loved John. None of that was changing, and he could keep Max away from him when they were together but what about the days when he was at School? When John was training him? Those were the moments when John was vulnerable and as much as he didn’t want to do this he knew that he had to. He had to get rid of him.

“Why the long face sour puss?’ Stephen turned around and came face to face with Max.

“What are you doing here?” Stephen asked.

“I heard about the party and thought that I’d stop by.”

Max tossed a gift-wrapped square shaped box into Stephen’s hands.

“What is this?”

“Well, it’s mostly for John to enjoy. Seeing as you and he can’t have sex because he could go to jail.”

“I’m emancipated.”

“And?”

“I’m a legal adult. Whatever we do is consensual. He won’t have to go to jail when we finally do it.”

Max walked near Stephen. “Say what you want. You may be emancipated and that may mean that you are a legal adult but he will always see you as a child. A child that can’t fulfill his needs.”

“And you think by screwing him once in his office that he will leave me for you?”

Max stepped back. A shocked expression on his face.

“He told you about that?”

“We tell each other everything. So take this as the first and only warning. You come near my fiancé again and I will see that it’s the last thing you ever do.”

                                                                                                **************************

 

“I want to congratulate you though John.  I never thought that you would be settling down and getting married.”

“Me? I never thought you’d be with a woman. Naomi seems like a nice woman.”

“She is. You know it’s weird. I’ve never believed in love at first sight. The moment I found her in New York and our eyes met I knew it was love.”

“I know what you mean. That’s how I felt about Stephen. The moment I met him I knew he was the one.”

                                                                        *************************

 

The moment that everyone left Stephen decided to give John the gift that Max had gotten. Something in him told him to throw it out but he couldn’t. It wouldn’t be right to do so. No matter how much he hated Max he wouldn’t lie to John.

“Max stopped by. He dropped this off for you.”

Stephen tossed the package in his hands. “He said this was for you.”

John eyed the small gift. He opened it and his mouth fell open. It was a DVD, with Max half naked on it. The note that came with it fell out of the wrapping. He read it out loud.

~        “John. I thought I’d document our little time together. This is for you.”

“It can’t be.” Stephen said.

“I think it is.”

Stephen took the DVD and the note out of John’s hands. He walked to the fireplace that was in the living room and tossed it in.

“Stephen. I am so sorry about all of this.” John explained.

“Don’t okay. Just don’t. We’re going to get through this. We’re going to put Max behind us and never talk about it again. Do you understand me?”

John nodded. “If I had known that he was going to be like this. I would have never been so friendly to him. I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize. None of us knew what kind of creep he was. But it won’t be that way for long. Trust me on that.”

                                                                                    ******************************

 

“How’s everything?” Jedikiah asked the next morning. John had taken Stephen to school and had the day off from Ultra.

“What do you mean? Everything’s fine.”

“That’s not what Stephen says.”

“Stephen’s talked to you about us?”

Jed chuckled. “No. but I’ve had his mind read without his knowledge and there were some interesting things going on.”

“You’ve entered his mind without permission? You can’t do that.”

“I can if I think that something is wrong with my nephew. And something is. I thought I told you to keep Max on a leash.”

“I’ve been trying.”

“You haven’t tried hard enough. Trust me Max is one of our top agents and I wouldn’t want to lose him. But I want to make my Nephew happy as well. So either you deal with Max or I will.”

                                                                        **************************

 

Stephen was clocked out the entire time in school. He could barely pay much attention to what any of his teachers were saying. He had left John alone, with Max. Even though Max was at Ultra that still didn’t ease his mind. Whenever he wanted Max could just teleport in and do whatever he wanted to John and John. Stephen doesn’t blame him and though a part of him does. He can easily say no to Max. It wouldn’t hurt him to do so. By the time Gym class rolled around Stephen was going out of his mind. And Keegan being there didn’t help him any less.

“If you have such animosity towards Max why don’t you get your uncle to get rid of his powers and send him out to the world?” Keegan asked.

“Because. What good would that do? Max could still find him, still persuade him. I’m not going to lose John.”

“Well, the only way for you to do that is to kill Max and we can’t do that. So I don’t see why you just won’t leave him. He’s been causing you trouble and heartache since you two got together.”

“No. you’ve been causing us heartache and trouble. And Max. I’m not just going to hand him over.”

                                                                                                ******************************

 

“If you just leave him I won’t do all of this.” Max purred into John’s ear. He had decided to talk to Max. That if he could then all of this could be avoided.

“I won’t leave Stephen. I love him. You on the other hand needs to stop this. Immediately.”

“Stop what? I thought this is what you wanted.”

“What I want is Stephen. Not you. I want you to stay far away from me and Stephen. This is a warning.”

“Well, I’m sorry that you feel that way.”

                                                                                    *****************************

 

 Stephen walked into the home he shared with John a determined man. The lights were off when he walked through the door, the only light was coming from the television in the living room. John was sitting on the couch, head thrown back. The man was asleep, or so Stephen thought. As he got closer he noticed something that made his heart stop. John was bleeding out. Someone had stabbed him.

                                                                        *****************************

Stephen didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t take him to the hospital. Too many questions would arise about the stabbing and he didn’t have the answers.

“Uncle Jed? I need your help. Please. John’s been stabbed. And I…I don’t know what to do.”

                                                                                    *****************************

 

John was in the infirmary at Ultra for three weeks. He was in a coma. Whoever had done this to John had laced the weapon with some sort of sedative and until they could find the counter agent he was in a coma.

“Did you find any finger prints?” Stephen asked.

“None.” Jedikiah responded. “And we’ve searched the minds of all of our agents. Max and Keegan included. Nothing Stephen. I don’t know who could have done this to him.”   

                                                                        *************************

 

A week had gone by, Stephen remained by his side, missing classes. It wasn’t until Jedikiah forced him out of the infirmary to go to school that they got some clues.

“We managed to find a print. It was tiny but there.” One of the scientist that worked at Ultra said. “And we scanned it in the data base of everyone in Chicago and this name popped up.”

The file was handed over to Jedikiah, His mouth hung open. “It can’t be.”

Jedikiah handed the file over to Stephen who nearly dropped it when he saw who it was.

“Are you sure about this? Is there a chance that you could be wrong about this?” Stephen asked.

“There is no doubt in my mind that this is accurate. I’m sorry Stephen but the person on that file was the one that tried to kill John.”

                                                                        *************************************

 

“You okay Stephen?” Astrid had bought over all of the homework that Stephen had missed while he was by John’s side. She was laying on his bed going over the calculus lesson that he missed. “You seem distracted. Does this have to do with why you’ve been missing class?”

“Yeah I’m fine. It’s just John. Don’t worry about it.”

“Stephen. Whatever it is I’m here for you.”

“It’s fine. Everything will be fine soon enough. But you think we could cut this short? I’m kind of tired.”

Astrid dropped the book on the bed before getting up. “Sure.” She picked up her bag. “If you need me then just call or text okay?”

Stephen nodded. Astrid kissed him on the cheek before heading out. The moment that she left Stephen teleported out.

                                                            ********************************************

 

It seemed as though it was forever since he was last in the substation. There were many new outbreaks there that Stephen hadn’t seen. None of them showed up on Ultra’s sensor. Stephen found Cara and Russ fairly easy once he got there. They were in the training room.

“Hey.” Russ smiled when he sensed Stephen. “What brings you here?”

“I just need to talk to someone. I don’t know if you guys have heard but someone tried to kill John the other day. He’s in a coma right now.”

Russ and Cara stopped what they were doing and walked over to Stephen.

“What happened?” Cara asked.

“I’m not sure. All I know is that I came home and found him. Someone had stabbed him with a knife laced with a new sedative. The scientist at Ultra doesn’t know what it is yet and therefore can’t treat him.”

“Do you know who did this?” Russ added.

“Yeah. I just can’t believe it. I mean, the person that did this, I trusted them. I believed in them.”

                                                            ************************************


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to put this on hiatus for a while

“Are you sure about that? Are you absolutely sure it was them?” Cara asked. After Stephen had told her and Russ about who attacked John.

“Yeah I’m sure. How do you think I feel? Knowing that this person who I confide in with everything and who I love tried to kill the man that I love. It’s the ultimate betrayal.”

“Stephen. It’s going to be okay.” Russ whispered. “Just talk to them and asks if they intentionally did this. For all you know they could be hijacked or something. You don’t know the full story.”

“Don’t. Okay. I know what I read. They knew what they were doing. And now I have to stop them.”


End file.
